WASHINGTON: FBI agents searched the home of John Bolton, former national security adviser to ex-president Donald Trump and one of his most prominent critics, early Friday as part of a national security investigation, a source familiar with the matter confirmed.
Agents entered Bolton’s residence in Bethesda, Maryland, around 7am, according to the New York Post, which first reported the operation. The probe was said to have been ordered by FBI Director Kash Patel, though officials have not publicly confirmed details.
Bolton, who also served as US ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush, has emerged as a staunch critic of Trump since leaving the White House. He has frequently questioned Trump’s fitness for office and sharply opposed his foreign policy decisions.
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Just minutes before the raid, Bolton reiterated his criticism, mocking Trump’s ongoing overtures to Russian President Vladimir Putin. “These meetings will continue because Trump wants a Nobel Peace Prize, but I don’t see these talks making any progress,” he remarked.
Trump, who has vowed political retribution against rivals since returning to the presidency in January, has previously moved to strip Bolton of Secret Service protection after US officials said Iran had plotted against him. The Trump administration also attempted to block the publication of Bolton’s memoir, claiming it contained classified information — an assertion Bolton has denied.
The FBI and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A representative for Bolton also could not be reached.
