Former National Security Advisor John Bolton’s home and office were raided by the FBI on August 22, 2024, as authorities search for classified documents. The incident has renewed tensions between Bolton and former President Donald Trump, whose public feud has spanned years. During a press briefing the day of the raids, Trump criticized Bolton, calling him a ‘lowlife’ and suggesting he could be ‘unpatriotic.’ Trump had no detailed knowledge of the raids ahead of time, according to his remarks. The raid has reignited the media’s interest in the long-standing tensions between the two former political figures, with Fox News reporting the early stages of an ongoing investigation into Bolton’s potential possession of sensitive information.
Bolton’s departure from the Trump administration in 2019 marked a significant shift in the administration’s strategy toward foreign policy. Initially, Trump praised Bolton’s work, calling him ‘a terrific guy’ who ‘knows a lot’ about national security. However, their relationship began to deteriorate as Bolton advocated for more aggressive foreign policy stances, including a push for ‘massive change in the regime’s behavior’ regarding Iran and North Korea. Trump, on the other hand, sought a more diplomatic approach, particularly in relation to the Iran nuclear deal, which he ultimately withdrew from in 2018.
During a press briefing, Trump criticized Bolton’s hardline stance on foreign policy, stating that he ‘would take on the whole world at one time.’ This rhetoric echoed past tensions between the two men, including comments Trump made in 2019 regarding Bolton’s suggestion of the ‘Libya model’ for North Korea, a strategy seen as an attempt to achieve regime change. Trump later criticized Bolton’s comments as ‘a disaster’ during a meeting that never took place between him and Taliban leaders in Afghanistan. These comments, along with others, contributed to Bolton’s ouster from the administration in September 2019. Since that time, their contentious relationship has continued, with Trump frequently criticizing Bolton’s policies and actions, and Bolton himself expressing public disdain for Trump’s approach to foreign affairs.