FBI raids John Bolton’s home and office over classified documents probe: report
FBI Raids Home and Office of Former National Security Adviser John Bolton
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In a surprising turn of events, FBI agents conducted raids on the Bethesda, Md., home and Washington, D.C., office of former national security adviser John Bolton. This development adds a new layer of tension to Bolton’s already strained relationship with President Donald Trump.
According to the New York Post, the raids were allegedly related to allegations that Bolton transmitted classified documents to his family using a private email server while serving at the White House. The Post cited a Trump administration official claiming that FBI Director Kash Patel ordered the raids.
The unsealed search warrants reportedly refer to a controversy surrounding Bolton’s memoir as part of a broader investigation. However, a senior U.S. official clarified that the probe was distinct from the previous scrutiny of Bolton’s book.
Former National Security Advisor John Bolton’s home in Maryland and office in Washington, D.C., were raided by the FBI on Aug. 22, 2025. (Getty Images)
The History of Trump and Bolton’s Strained Relationship
Shortly after the raid commenced, Patel emphasized on X that “no one is above the law… [FBI] agents on a mission.” FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino echoed this sentiment, stating that “public corruption will not be tolerated.”
Although Bolton, who served in Trump’s first administration, has not been arrested, Trump had revoked his security clearance and Secret Service detail earlier in 2025.
Responding to queries about the raid, Trump expressed ignorance about it beforehand, asserting that he learned about it from television. The president did not mince words in expressing his disdain for Bolton, labeling him as a “lowlife” and “not a smart guy.”
White House National Security Advisor John Bolton, right, listens to President Donald Trump as he and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte talk to reporters in the Oval Office at the White House July 18, 2019, in Washington. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
The Renewed Trump–Bolton Feud Post FBI Raid
Trump further criticized Bolton, characterizing him as “a very quiet person except on television if he can say something bad about Trump.” Vice President JD Vance refuted claims that Bolton was being targeted for criticizing Trump.
While details surrounding the raid remain scarce, a source familiar with the situation hinted at Bolton’s audacity in criticizing Trump’s handling of classified information. However, both the FBI and Bolton’s office declined to comment on the matter.
This image contained in a court filing by the Department of Justice on Aug. 30, 2022, and redacted in part by the FBI, shows a photo of documents seized during the Aug. 8, 2022, search by the FBI of then-former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. (Department of Justice via AP)
Roger Stone Criticizes Bolton Amidst FBI Raid
Interestingly, Bolton had previously criticized Trump’s handling of classified documents following the FBI raid on Mar-a-Lago in 2022. Subsequently, Trump faced indictments on multiple felony counts, although the case was eventually dropped in July 2024.
During Trump’s first administration, a probe into classified documents involving Bolton was initiated but later terminated by the Biden administration. The Justice Department had sought to block the publication of Bolton’s 2020 memoir, “The Room Where it Happened,” alleging it contained classified material.
Reporting contributed by Axios and Fox News’ Michael Dorgan, David Spunt, Breanne Deppisch, Emma Woodhead, and Brooke Singman.
