(Ken Silva, Headline USA) The FBI is searching the Maryland home and Washington office of John Bolton, who served in President Donald Trump’s first administration as national security adviser, as part of an investigation into the mishandling of classified information.
According to Daily Caller editor Vince Coglianese, the FBI’s probe is related to related to a national security investigation of Bolton that was shut down by the Biden administration for political reasons.
“It involves stealing classified documents and weaponizing them for political purposes,” Coglianese reported Friday, citing an anonymous source familiar with the matter.
BREAKING… From a source familiar with this AM's raid on Bolton's home:
"This is related to a national security investigation of Mr. Bolton that was shut down by the Biden administration for political reasons. It involves stealing classified documents and weaponizing them for… https://t.co/gftGAhtqDH
— Vince Coglianese (@VinceCoglianese) August 22, 2025
Bolton was not detained, but is “expected” to be charged, according to Coglianese.
After the search at Bolton’s home started, he was spotted Friday morning standing in the lobby of the Washington building where he keeps an office and talking to two people with “FBI” visible on their vests. He left a few minutes later and appeared to have gone upstairs in the building. Agents were seen taking bags into the office building through a back entrance.
The searches appear to be the most significant public step the Justice Department has taken against the deep state. The searches of Bolton’s home and office come as the Trump administration has taken steps to examine the activities of officials who targeted Trump and his supporters over the last eight-plus years, including by authorizing a grand jury investigation into the origins of the Russiagate hoax.
Messages left with a spokesperson for Bolton were not immediately returned, and a lawyer who has represented Bolton had no immediate comment.
Lawfare's Ben Wittes was livestreaming outside of Bolton's home as the FBI raided it. @Timodc joined him to talk about the situation. Watch the full video here: https://t.co/1oLilGGsR9 pic.twitter.com/asn2d299Sr
— The Bulwark (@BulwarkOnline) August 22, 2025
The White House did not comment and referred questions about the probe to the FBI. The Justice Department also had no comment, but leaders appeared to cryptically refer to the search of Bolton’s home in a series of social media posts Friday morning.
FBI Director Kash Patel, who in a 2023 book he wrote included Bolton in a list of “members of the Executive Branch Deep State,” posted on X: “NO ONE is above the law… @FBI agents on mission.” Attorney General Pam Bondi shared his post, adding: “America’s safety isn’t negotiable. Justice will be pursued. Always.”
Aside from his potential crimes, Bolton has been one of the most hawkish national security officials in government—supporting every war the U.S. has been involved with in the 21st century. Bolton has also continuously pushed for regime change in Iran.
Due to purported threats from Iran, Bolton was granted Secret Service protection in December 2021. In August 2022, the Justice Department announced that the FBI had foiled an Iranian plot to assassinate Bolton in retaliation for the U.S. killing Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps–Qods Force commander Qasem Soleimani.
However, the “hitman” hired to target Bolton was an FBI informant. DOJ charging papers show that the “plot” against Bolton was largely contrived, and that he was never in actual danger.
Flashback to when John Bolton worked with the FBI to fabricate a phony "Iranian assassination plot." https://t.co/F0h17PhtMo
— Ken Silva (@JD_Cashless) August 22, 2025
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Ken Silva is the editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/jd_cashless.
