FBI agents have stormed John Bolton’s Maryland home and D.C. office, signaling a no-nonsense crackdown on classified document mishandling, as the New York Post reports. The raid, executed with precision at 7 a.m. on Friday, underscores a renewed push to hold powerful figures accountable. Nobody gets a free pass when national security is at stake.
On Friday morning FBI agents raided the Bethesda home and Washington office of former National Security Adviser John Bolton as part of a national security probe into classified document leaks. The operation, ordered by FBI Director Kash Patel, revives scrutiny from a 2020 investigation into Bolton’s memoir while expanding into a broader classified leaking probe that persisted into the Biden administration.
The 2020 probe targeted Bolton’s book, The Room Where It Happened, which President Donald Trump claimed violated a non-disclosure agreement by revealing national secrets. Trump’s attempt to block the book’s publication failed, but the allegations lingered. Now, Patel’s FBI is digging deeper, and Bolton’s not off the hook yet.
Patel, a Trump administration stalwart, ordered the high-profile raid, declaring on X, “NO ONE is above the law.” His words carry weight, especially after exposing former FBI Director James Comey’s authorization of classified leaks before the 2016 election. Patel’s mission to root out corruption is shaking up the swamp.
Bolton, fired by Trump in September 2019, has been a vocal critic of the former president’s national security policies, often pontificating on CNN. His termination came with consequences -- Trump revoked his security clearance and Secret Service detail in January 2025. The timing of the raid, just after Bolton’s latest anti-Trump X post, raises eyebrows.
At 7:32 a.m. on Friday, Bolton’s X account criticized Trump’s approach to Russia’s war on Ukraine, calling it a futile chase for a “Nobel Peace Prize.” Was it a scheduled post or a defiant jab? Either way, it’s a curious backdrop to the FBI’s morning raid.
Bolton’s 2020 memoir sparked outrage when Trump accused him of leaking national secrets. The Biden administration, in a move some call politically motivated, shut down that investigation. A senior US official now suggests that the decision was less about justice and more about protecting allies.
“He’s not a smart guy, but he could be a very unpatriotic guy,” Trump said of Bolton when speaking to reporters on Friday. The president’s blunt assessment reflects lingering distrust. Yet, Bolton remains uncharged, though the FBI’s probe could change that fast.
Trump distanced himself from the raid’s specifics, telling reporters, “I don’t want to know, but you have to do what you have to do.” He added, “I could be the one starting -- but I feel that it’s better this way.” The chief law enforcement officer’s hands-off approach keeps the focus on Patel’s aggressive leadership.
The raid’s timing, one day after Patel exposed Comey’s 2016 leaks, suggests a pattern of targeting perceived disloyalty. Patel’s pledge to uncover FBI cover-ups, especially regarding alleged Kremlin-Trump campaign collusion, fuels this investigation’s momentum. Bolton’s just one piece of a larger puzzle.
Bolton’s Friday post slammed Russia’s demands on Ukraine, stating, “Russia has not changed its goal: drag Ukraine into a new Russian Empire.” He argued that Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky would never cede territory. His critique of Trump’s diplomacy as a “Nobel Peace Prize” grab reeks of sanctimonious grandstanding.
“Meetings will continue because Trump wants a Nobel Peace Prize, but I don’t see these talks making any progress,” Bolton’s X post continued. His cynicism about Trump’s motives contrasts sharply with Patel’s action-oriented approach. Words don’t shield you when the FBI comes knocking.
Bolton’s hawkish career, particularly his push for regime change in Iran, made him enemies abroad. Iran named him an assassination target after his role in the 2020 drone strike that killed General Qassem Soleimani. His unapologetic stance on Iran adds context to his current scrutiny.
The current probe isn’t just about Bolton’s book -- it’s part of a wider effort to address classified leaks that plagued the Biden administration. Patel’s FBI is signaling that no stone will be left unturned. Bolton’s high profile makes him a prime target for accountability.
As the dust settles from the Friday raids, questions linger about what the FBI uncovered. With Patel at the helm, the message is clear: no one, not even a former national security adviser, escapes justice. The swamp’s getting drained, one raid at a time.
