FBI agents conducted an early morning raid on John Bolton's home in Bethesda, Maryland on Friday. The investigation involves the former Trump national security adviser's handling of classified documents, according to AP sources.
President Donald Trump denied prior knowledge of the raid on his former adviser-turned-critic. "No, I don't know about it, I saw it on television this morning," Trump told reporters during a White House visit.
Trump launched personal attacks against Bolton during multiple interactions with reporters. "I'm not a fan of John Bolton," he said. "He's a real sort of a lowlife."
Investigation details
FBI agents were observed leaving the property with boxes of evidence. Bolton's wife Gretchen Smith Bolton was spotted at the front door interacting with federal agents.
Reports differ about Bolton's presence during the raid. The primary account suggests Bolton was reportedly at home but did not emerge from his house, while other sources indicate he was not at home during the search.
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the operation on social media. "NO ONE is above the law… FBI agents on mission," Patel posted on X as the raid unfolded.
Political context
Bolton served as Trump's third national security adviser for 17 months before being fired. He became one of Trump's most vocal television critics and wrote the controversial book "The Room Where it Happened."
The Independent reports that Trump revoked Bolton's security clearance in January 2025 on his first day back in office. Trump continued his criticism Friday, calling Bolton "a sleaze-bag" who "suffers major Trump derangement syndrome."
Trump told reporters he hired Bolton because of his hawkish reputation, thinking it would make world leaders nervous. "He's very bad at what he does," Trump said. "He's not a smart guy, but he could be a very unpatriotic guy but we're going to find out."
Sources used: "Daily Mail", "Independent", "Mirror", "AP" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
