FBI agents raided the Maryland home of former Trump national security adviser John Bolton as part of a revived classified documents investigation. The early-morning operation was reportedly ordered by FBI Director Kash Patel, a former Trump official, and marks a dramatic escalation in scrutiny of former government officials accused of mishandling national security materials.
The investigation centers on Bolton’s 2020 memoir, The Room Where It Happened, which Trump sought to block, arguing it contained classified information. Although the Justice Department opened an inquiry in 2020, the case was shelved under the Biden administration for what a senior official described as “political reasons.” With Patel now leading the bureau, the case has been reactivated, signaling a broader effort to revisit unresolved national security concerns.
Patel cryptically acknowledged the raid on social media, posting, “NO ONE is above the law… @FBI agents on mission.” A vocal critic of what he calls corruption within federal agencies, Patel has pledged to hold past officials accountable, linking the Bolton raid to a broader crackdown on leaks and intelligence abuses.
Coinciding with the raid, Patel declassified memos indicating former FBI Director James Comey authorized classified leaks during the 2016 election. One memo detailed how former general counsel James Baker believed he was authorized by Comey—via chief of staff James Rybicki—to leak sensitive information to The New York Times. This contradicts Comey’s sworn congressional testimony.
Attorney General Pam Bondi, newly appointed under the Trump-aligned administration, called the FBI’s past conduct “abhorrent.” She has launched a strike force, led by deputy Harmeet Dhillon, to investigate potential civil rights violations by former federal officials, citing abuses of power and the weaponization of intelligence agencies.
Legal experts suggest that if the leaks and misconduct are proven to be part of a continuing conspiracy, the statute of limitations could be extended to 10 years, opening the door for prosecution of several high-profile figures tied to past controversies.
