FBI Raids John Bolton's Home in Classified Documents Probe, Sparking Retribution Claims

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents on Friday, August 22, 2025, conducted court-authorized searches of former National Security Advisor John Bolton's home in Bethesda, Maryland, and his office in Washington, D.C. The raids are part of a renewed national security investigation into the alleged mishandling of classified documents. FBI Director Kash Patel, a Trump administration appointee, publicly commented on the action, stating on X, "NO ONE is above the law… @FBI agents on mission."

The investigation centers on allegations that Bolton may have improperly handled classified information, a probe that had previously been opened in 2020 and later frozen during the Biden administration. The matter was reportedly reopened by Director Patel after he assumed leadership of the FBI in February. Bolton, who served as National Security Advisor during the first Trump administration, has not been arrested or charged with any crimes in connection with the searches.

President Donald Trump, when asked about the raids, claimed he had no advance knowledge of the operation, stating, "I know nothing about it. I just saw it this morning." He further added, "I’m not a fan of John Bolton. I thought he was a sleazebag actually." Vice President JD Vance denied that the search was politically motivated, asserting that law enforcement agencies are "driven by law and not by politics."

Contrary to a recent social media post suggesting John Bolton was enthusiastic about the 2022 FBI raid on Mar-a-Lago and attributed the "No one is above the law" quote to him in that context, the quote originated from Director Patel concerning the raid on Bolton's own properties. In fact, following the 2022 Mar-a-Lago search, Bolton was quoted urging calm, stating, "Everybody just ought to calm down, whether you're pro-Trump or anti-Trump, and let the process work its way through."

The timing of the raids has fueled speculation among critics that the action is a form of political retribution against Bolton, a vocal critic of President Trump since his departure from the administration in 2019. Bolton's security clearance and Secret Service detail were notably terminated by Trump earlier this year. The situation draws parallels to the 2022 FBI search of Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, an event that Patel and other Trump loyalists have previously criticized as an example of political weaponization of the FBI.