Overview

• Agents executed court-authorized searches at Bolton's Bethesda residence and reportedly his Washington, D.C., office, with news footage showing boxes carried out.
• Media accounts say investigators are examining whether Bolton improperly kept or disclosed classified or confidential material tied to his government service.
• The FBI and Justice Department declined to provide details, while FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X that "Nobody is above the law" without naming Bolton.
• President Trump said he learned of the operation from television and is "no fan" of Bolton, and Vice President J.D. Vance described the matter as very early-stage and rejected claims of retaliation.
• Critics, including a Bolton associate and lawmakers such as Bernie Sanders and Jamie Raskin, cast the move as political payback, citing past friction that included a 2021 DOJ case dropped over Bolton's book and the 2025 revocation of his clearances and Secret Service protection.