Trump Administration Live Updates: F.B.I. Searches Home and Office of John Bolton, a Former Trump Adviser

 

Live

Updated

Aug. 22, 2025, 11:01 a.m. ET17 minutes ago

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/08/22/us/trump-news

 

Trump Administration Live Updates: F.B.I. Searches Home and Office of John Bolton, a Former Trump Adviser

 

Where Things Stand

Search: F.B.I. agents early Friday were searching the Maryland home and Washington office of John Bolton, President Trump’s former national security adviser. Asked about the visible F.B.I. presence at Mr. Bolton’s home and an address where he has an office, a representative for the bureau said agents were “conducting court-authorized activity” in those areas.

 

Investigation: The investigation into Mr. Bolton seeks to determine whether he illegally shared or possessed classified information, according to two people familiar with the case who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the inquiry. A lawyer for Bolton did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

 

Trump critic: Mr. Bolton is a frequent critic of the president. One of Mr. Trump’s first moves when he returned to office was to strip Mr. Bolton of the federal protection he had because of threats to his safety from Iran. In recent days, Mr. Bolton has been particularly harsh over how Mr. Trump has handled his negotiations with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia on the war in Ukraine.

 

Luke Broadwater

Aug. 22, 2025, 10:24 a.m. ET54 minutes ago

Luke Broadwater

 

President Trump just denied having knowledge of the search of John Bolton’s house. Speaking to reporters in Washington, Trump said he told the Justice Department not to inform him of such things. “I’m not a fan of John Bolton,” he added.

 

Glenn Thrush

Aug. 22, 2025, 10:22 a.m. ET56 minutes ago

Glenn Thrush

 

The search of John Bolton’s house is part of an investigation into accusations that Bolton leaked sensitive national security information to the news media and other parties in an effort to damage President Trump, according to a senior federal law enforcement official with direct knowledge of the situation. The investigation includes actions Mr. Bolton took over the past four years, and not just in the earlier gathering of material for his book, the official added.

 

Glenn Thrush

Aug. 22, 2025, 10:09 a.m. ET1 hour ago

Glenn Thrush

 

The F.B.I. director Kash Patel posted on X, formerly Twitter, earlier this morning as agents were arriving at John Bolton’s house. “NO ONE is above the law… @FBI agents on mission,” Patel wrote. It was a notable statement from Patel, a former right-wing influencer who included Bolton on a list of “members of the Executive Branch Deep State” in his 2023 book. It also exemplified how Patel, as F.B.I. director, has shattered norms intended to minimize public comment suggesting animus toward subjects under investigation.