The FBI raided the home of former White House national security adviser John Bolton in Maryland last month, seizing multiple electronic devices and thousands of documents potentially related to former President Donald Trump. Court documents provided to the public reveal that the bureau confiscated items including two iPhones, three computers, a Seagate hard drive, and multiple USB drives during the August 22 operation. The search warrant, filed with the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, described the seizure of folders labeled ‘Trump I-IV’ as well as a white binder marked ‘Statements and Reflections to Allied Strikes.’
The operation is reportedly connected to an ongoing federal probe into the mishandling of classified documents. While the initial investigation into classified materials was suspended during the Biden administration, the Justice Department previously warned that Bolton’s 2020 memoir, ‘The Room Where It Happened,’ contained sensitive information and tried to block its publication. The FBI’s interest in the former advisor stems from concerns about potential violations, especially following renewed scrutiny of Trump-related materials in recent months.
Days after the raid, Bolton criticized Trump’s Ukraine policy in an op-ed for the Washington Examiner, calling it marked by ‘confusion, haste, and disarray.’ The former national security adviser also argued that the pace of the Trump-Putin summit on August 15 was ‘almost surely unprecedented in modern history.’ However, the ongoing legal and political fallout from the raid has drawn attention to the strained relationship between Trump and Bolton. The former president allegedly revoked Bolton’s security clearance and Secret Service protection in early 2025 following a falling out.
Trump himself has publicly expressed disdain for Bolton, describing the former adviser as ‘a real lowlife’ and ‘not a smart guy.’ During a press briefing shortly after the raid, the president claimed he was unaware of the operation until he saw it on television, emphasizing his disconnection from Bolton’s activities. Despite the tension, the FBI’s investigation continues to focus on potential violations involving the handling of sensitive materials, drawing further scrutiny of Bolton’s role during his tenure in the Trump administration.