FBI agents raided the home of John Bolton, Donald Trump's former national security adviser, in Bethesda, Maryland on Friday morning. The raid is part of an investigation into Bolton's alleged handling of classified documents while writing his 2020 book "The Room Where It Happened".
Agents were seen transferring boxes to and from Bolton's property as press gathered outside. Bolton was not at home during the raid and has not been detained or charged.
A neighbour identified as Holly watched the raid unfold and suggested it was "karma" for the former Trump aide. "If he would have testified in the first impeachment hearing, maybe we wouldn't be here," Holly told reporters while grinning. "There's a little bit of karma also."
Investigation background
The FBI probe originally began in 2020 but was closed for "political reasons" during Joe Biden's administration, according to the Daily Mail. The investigation was relaunched in 2025 under FBI Director Kash Patel's leadership.
Bolton served as Trump's national security adviser for 17 months from 2018 to 2019 before being fired. He became a vocal Trump critic and refused to testify during the former president's first impeachment proceedings in the House.
Official response
FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X during the raid: "NO ONE is above the law… FBI agents on mission." Attorney General Pam Bondi shared Patel's post, adding: "America's safety isn't negotiable. Justice will be pursued. Always."
Trump claimed he was unaware of the raid and said Bondi would brief him on the matter later. Bolton's security clearance was revoked in January 2025 by the Trump administration once details of the investigation emerged.
The Justice Department had previously abandoned a lawsuit against Bolton in 2021 and dropped a separate grand jury investigation, the Mirror reports. The current probe focuses specifically on Bolton's handling of classified material during the writing of his controversial memoir.
Sources used: "Daily Mail", "Independent", "Mirror", "Associated Press" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
