FBI agents on Friday morning searched the home of former national security adviser John Bolton in a Washington suburb. This happened as part of an investigation into the possible disclosure of classified information. Bolton, known for his sharp criticism of US President Donald Trump, said he was not warned about the law enforcement actions, UNN reports, citing Reuters.
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"FBI agents on Friday searched the home of John Bolton, former adviser to US President Donald Trump, who has become his fierce critic," the publication writes. According to a source familiar with the matter, "this was part of a national security investigation."
The source added that "the investigation is focused on the potential criminal disclosure of classified information."
An FBI spokesperson confirmed "court-authorized activity" in the area of Bolton's home in the Washington suburb of Bethesda, Maryland. The FBI spokesperson also confirmed law enforcement activity at Bolton's Washington office.
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Bolton, who served as US Ambassador to the UN and national security adviser in the Trump administration, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. CNN reported that he said he was unaware of the law enforcement activity and was looking into the situation. Bolton had previously called Trump "unfit for office."
The search of his home was another step that critics call the use of government resources against Trump's opponents. At the same time, national security lawyer Bradley Moss noted that a search warrant could only be issued if there was "at least some objective and legitimate" evidence.
"This will be a political phenomenon in any case... The question is, did he really do something that justifies this, or is it pure political retribution?" he said.
Trump, responding to a question about the raid, replied: "No, I don't know about it. I saw it on TV this morning. I'm not a fan of John Bolton. He's a real worthless man."
"He can be a very unpatriotic guy. We'll find that out," he added.
According to the New York Post, the search began at 7 a.m. FBI Director Kash Patel wrote on X: "NO ONE is above the law... FBI agents are doing their job."