FBI raids ex-Trump aide-turned-critic John Bolton's home

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
22 Aug 2025 17:50
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FBI agents raided the home of former Trump advisor John Bolton as part of a revived investigation into classified documents. The probe, previously shut down, is now being led by FBI Director Kash Patel.

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Former National Security Advisor John Bolton's house is seen with a Montgomery County, Md., police vehicle outside, as FBI agents search the home, Friday, Aug. 22, 2025 in Bethesda, Md. (AP)

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents raided the Maryland home of President Donald Trump’s former national security advisor, John Bolton, early Friday morning in connection with a long-running national security probe, The Post exclusively reported.

Federal agents arrived at Bolton’s residence in Bethesda at approximately 7 am. The investigation was reportedly ordered by FBI Director Kash Patel.

A cryptic post on X published by Patel shortly after the raid began read, “NO ONE is above the law… @FBI agents on mission.”

NO ONE is above the law… @FBI agents on mission
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) August 22, 2025

Investigation tied to classified documents

The probe is said to involve classified materials, according to a senior US official. Initially launched several years ago, the investigation was allegedly shut down by the Biden administration “for political reasons” before recently being reopened.

This is not the first time John Bolton has faced scrutiny over classified material. He was previously accused of including sensitive national security information in his 2020 book, “The Room Where It Happened.” President Trump’s administration attempted to block its publication, citing violations of a non-disclosure agreement. Despite efforts by Trump’s Justice Department, the book was ultimately released.

Bolton slams Trump amid FBI search

At 7:32 am on the morning of the raid, a post from Bolton’s official X account criticized Trump’s position on the war in Ukraine. It remains unclear whether the post was scheduled or directly related to the raid.

“Russia has not changed its goal: drag Ukraine into a new Russian Empire. Moscow has demanded that Ukraine cede territory it already holds and the remainder of Donetsk, which it has been unable to conquer. Zelensky will never do so. Meanwhile, meetings will continue because Trump wants a Nobel Peace Prize, but I don’t see these talks making any progress.”

Past controversies: The room where it happened

Bolton’s memoir, published in 2020, led to legal action by the Trump administration, which argued that the book revealed classified information. The Department of Justice under Trump opened an inquiry in September 2020 to investigate the matter.

Since his departure from the White House, Bolton has remained a vocal critic of Trump’s foreign policy decisions, regularly appearing on television to express his views on national security and international affairs.

Kash Patel’s role and broader allegations against FBI

The raid comes just one day after Kash Patel accused former FBI Director James Comey of authorizing leaks of classified materials while allegedly misleading Congress in the lead-up to the 2016 presidential election.

Patel, a close Trump ally, has vowed to expose what he describes as corruption within the federal government and to bring long-hidden information to light.