FBI Conducts Search at John Bolton's Residence, Leading Critic of Former President Trump
In a series of developments, former National Security Advisor John Bolton is under investigation by the FBI for potential violations of secrecy laws related to the handling of classified documents. This investigation comes amidst ongoing tensions between Bolton and former President Donald Trump.
Trump, who has reportedly sought to appoint officials more "loyal" and willing to go after his perceived enemies, named Kash Patel as the FBI Director. However, this appointment did not deter the investigation into Bolton.
The FBI's search of Bolton's home and office in Bethesda, Maryland, on Friday, was reportedly linked to his recent criticism of Trump's efforts to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. The investigation also reportedly concerns potential leaks of classified materials since the publication of Bolton's 2020 book, "The Room Where It Happened," which included damaging claims about Trump's actions during his first term.
Bolton, who has long denied any wrongdoing and claimed his book contained no classified information, suggested the administration had already "come after me." He cited Trump pulling his security detail and telling ABC, "I think it is a retribution presidency."
JD Vance, in an interview, claimed the government is in the early stages of an ongoing investigation and is just gathering evidence. The Justice Department has launched other probes into perceived Trump enemies, including New York Attorney General Letitia James and Sen. Adam Schiff.
In his 2024 book introduction, John Bolton wrote that Trump is unfit to be president and suggested he would carry out retribution against his enemies in a second term. Bolton has not yet publicly commented on the search, but in the past, he has chastised the media for letting Trump comment on his Putin meeting and described Trump as "really dumb."
Federal magistrate judges in Maryland and Washington signed off on the searches, and federal investigators were also reportedly seen entering Bolton's Washington, D.C., office. As of Friday, the investigation has not resulted in any charges against Bolton. Trump commented on the search, saying he knows nothing about it but expected to be briefed by the DOJ.
Kash Patel, the newly appointed FBI Director, made a cryptic post about no one being above the law, fueling speculation about the ongoing investigation. The investigation into Bolton is a significant development in the ongoing saga between the former president and his critics.
