Court Records Reveal What Was Taken From John Bolton’s Home During FBI Raid

The FBI took a trove of documents, three computers, and two iPhones from former National Security Adviser John Bolton’s home during a raid on August 22, according to court records made public on Thursday.

Among the boxes of documents were “typed documents in folders labeled ‘Trump I – IV’” and a white binder that was labeled, “statements and reflections to allied strikes,” the New York Post reported. The FBI raided Bolton’s home as part of an investigation over allegations that Bolton illegally snuck out national security files from the White House during President Donald Trump’s first term.

The records also revealed that the former national security adviser, who is now a vocal Trump critic, is being investigated for allegedly violating two sections of the Espionage Act of 1917, according to the Post. While Bolton hasn’t been charged with any crime, if the feds go after him on those two charges, he could face up to 25 years in prison.

Federal agents also swiped hard drives and USB drives during the raid, and agents were allowed to make Bolton unlock any devices, per the search warrant, CNN reported. According to previous court records, the feds are looking into whether Bolton revealed any sensitive national security information about Trump’s foreign policy during the president’s first term. After a back-and-forth with Trump officials, Bolton removed classified information from his book manuscript before he published it, according to court records.

Bolton’s book, “The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir,” promises “the most comprehensive and substantial account of the Trump Administration.” The book was published in June 2020, less than a year after Trump fired Bolton as National Security Adviser. The Trump administration argued that Bolton’s book endangered national security.

FBI officials told the Post that an investigation into Bolton’s handling of sensitive material was paused when former President Joe Biden entered office in 2021, and FBI Director Kash Patel reopened the investigation in February.

“The [Biden administration] had probable cause to know that he had taken material that was detrimental to the national security of the United States, and they made no effort to retrieve it,” a senior FBI official said.

“That was a friendly administration to [Bolton],” the official added. “They kept bashing [Trump] the entire time for ‘weaponizing law enforcement,’ and they — by politically stopping a righteous investigation — are the ones who weaponized law enforcement.”

Bolton has not commented on the raid, but he has continued to criticize Trump’s foreign policy moves. Following the raid, President Trump claimed that he knew “nothing about it.”

“I saw it on television this morning. I’m not a fan of John Bolton. He’s a real … lowlife,” Trump said. “He’s not a smart guy. But he could be a very unpatriotic guy … we’re going to find out. I know nothing about it.”