FBI Raids John Bolton’s Home
The FBI conducted a raid on the home and office of John Bolton, who served as national security adviser during President Donald Trump’s administration, on Friday morning. This incident comes months after Bolton had his security clearance reinstated in January.
Bolton and Trump have had a contentious relationship since Bolton’s departure from the administration, which escalated particularly after the publication of Bolton’s 2020 memoir, revealing several controversial details from his time in office.
Trump has disparaged Bolton, calling him names like “wacco” and “dope.” In contrast, Bolton has made some pointed remarks about Trump, claiming in a June 2020 ABC News interview that he believes Trump is “not worthy of office” and “not capable of doing the job.”
Reflecting on Trump’s reelection efforts, Bolton noted, “He was so focused on reelection that I think long-term considerations fell on the roadside.” He criticized Trump’s approach to policy as inconsistent and overly centered on personal political fate, which he argued negatively impacted national security.
Bolton’s memoir, titled “The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir,” was initially met with attempts from the Trump administration to block its release, citing concerns over classified information. Bolton claimed that Trump pressured Chinese President Xi Jinping to bolster his campaign, calling Trump “surprisingly unknown” in certain contexts.
Despite attempts from the Department of Justice to halt the memoir’s publication on the grounds of disclosing classified information, a federal judge ruled in favor of its release, which occurred on June 23, 2020. Post-publication, Trump expressed his disdain for Bolton’s claims, labeling them as “pure fiction.”
Amid Bolton’s looming concerns about potential threats to his safety, stemming partly from remarks made by Iran, Trump reportedly canceled Bolton’s Secret Service details.
After the recent raid, Bolton was neither arrested nor detained. Trump claimed he was unaware of the FBI’s actions until he saw coverage on television, stating, “He’s not a smart guy, but he may be very patriotically unpatriotic.” This moment adds another layer to the tumultuous narrative surrounding Bolton and his contentious ties with Trump.
