USA Media: FBI searches home of Trump's ex-advisor Bolton
According to media reports, the FBI has searched the home of US President Donald Trump's former National Security Advisor John Bolton. TV images showed FBI employees outside a house in the US state of Maryland near Washington. The former adviser is now a vocal critic of Trump. A CNN reporter reported that Bolton's office in Washington had also been targeted by FBI agents.
22.08.2025, 20:53
SDA
The background to the search initially remained unclear. CNN reported, citing a person familiar with the matter, that the action was part of an - unspecified - national security investigation. The New York Times, citing two anonymous sources, wrote that the investigation was intended to clarify whether Bolton may have illegally passed on or possessed classified information.
Trump: Knows nothing about raid
Trump denied journalists' questions as to whether he was aware of the FBI raid on Bolton. "No, I don't know anything about it. I saw it on TV this morning," he said. He added: "I'm not a fan of John Bolton."
Bolton was Trump's National Security Advisor for a time during his first term (2017-2021). Bolton, a long-time diplomat who is considered a hardliner, resigned after around a year and a half in office in a dispute with Trump.
In 2020, Bolton then published a tell-all book ("The Room Where It Happened"). The Trump administration had previously tried in vain to stop the publication. It accused him of publishing classified information. At times, there were also investigations into whether Bolton had passed on secret information. However, proceedings in connection with the tell-all book were dropped.
After the start of his second term in office, Trump had the Secret Service withdraw personal protection for Bolton. The Secret Service is responsible for protecting high-ranking politicians and not only looks after the security of active office holders, but also that of some former office holders.
Bolton recently criticized Trump again for his dealings with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin during the Ukraine war. The former advisor wrote on Platform X on the day of the FBI search, for example: Russia had not changed its goal of dragging Ukraine into a new Russian empire. "In the meantime, meetings continue because Trump wants the Nobel Peace Prize - but I see no progress in these talks."
