Trump Administration Live Updates: F.B.I. Raids John Bolton’s Maryland Home, Officials Say

FBI raids home of Trump adviser-turned-critic John Bolton in ‘national security probe’

The FBI conducted an early-morning raid at the home of President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser John Bolton just outside of Washington, DC on Friday. The Independent observed multiple law-enforcement vehicles, parked outside with FBI agents standing outside the door with some going in and out of the residence. Bolton has since become an outspoken critic of Trump, particularly with regard to his approach to Russia. Trump for his part has regularly and loudly criticized Bolton, calling him “stupid” and saying that he “blew up the Middle East.” The raid is just the latest example of the Trump administration ramping up legal actions against Trump’s perceived enemies. Last week, Trump seized the Washington, D.C. police department and ordered the National Guard to patrol the streets.

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The FBI conducted an early-morning raid at the home of President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser John Bolton just outside of Washington, DC on Friday.

FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X Friday morning hinting about the raid.

“NO ONE is above the law… @FBI agents on mission,” Patel posted.

The Independent confirmed the ongoing search at John Bolton‘s Bethesda, Maryland home. The Independent observed multiple law-enforcement vehicles, parked outside with FBI agents standing outside the door with some going in and out of the residence.

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Bolton did not immediately respond to a text message request for comment.

Bolton served as national security adviser from 2018 to 2019 but has since become an outspoken critic of Trump, particularly with regard to his approach to Russia.

FBI agents are seen outside the home of former national security adviser John Bolton. (The Independent)

Most recently, Bolton blasted Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard’s report that accused former president Barack Obama of engaging in a “years-long coup” against Trump. During Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Bolton said that Trump would surrender Alaska to Russia.

On Friday morning, Bolton tweeted an interview he did with NPR about Russia.

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“Russia has not changed its goal: drag Ukraine into a new Russian Empire,” he tweeted. “Moscow has demanded that Ukraine cede territory it already holds and the remainder of Donetsk, which it has been unable to conquer. Zelensky will never do so. Meanwhile, meetings will continue because Trump wants a Nobel Peace Prize, but I don’t see these talks making any progress.”

Trump for his part has regularly and loudly criticized Bolton, calling him “stupid” and saying that he “blew up the Middle East.”

The raid is just the latest example of the Trump administration ramping up legal actions against Trump’s perceived enemies. Last week, Trump seized the Washington, DC police department and ordered the National Guard to patrol the streets of the nation’s capital. In response to repeatedly debunking claims that crime increased in Washington, the Department of Justice reportedly began to investigate whether the police department manipulated data about crime.

Earlier this week, Trump called for the resignation of Lisa Cook, a member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, reportedly for committing mortgage fraud. New York Attorney General Letitia also faces an investigation after she conducted a fraud investigation into the president. On Thursday, an appeals court tossed out the multi-million dollar fraud penalty.

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Members of former president Joe Biden administration’s National Security Council also saw their security clearances revoked last week. In February, Trump revoked Biden’s security clearance and stopped his daily intelligence briefings in a clear move of retaliation against his former opponent.

Trump has also targeted multiple law firms, including the one where former FBI director Robert Mueller, who led the special counsel investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election, worked.

The raid comes as the Department of Justice as a whole and the FBI in particular have tried to move on from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.

Early last month, the department and the FBI released a two-page memo saying that Epstein, the disgrace financier who used his immense wealth to prey on girls and young women, killed himself in prison and had no “client list.”

The move led to calls for Attorney General Pam Bondi to resign and additional criticism of Patel, who had long teased action on Epstein.

Source: Ca.news.yahoo.com | View original article

The Latest: FBI searches home of ex-Trump national security adviser John Bolton, AP source says

The FBI is searching the Maryland home of John Bolton, a person familiar with the matter says. The person was not authorized to discuss the investigation by name and spoke on condition of anonymity. Bolton served in President Donald Trump’s first administration as national security adviser. He later became a strong Trump critic after leaving his administration and clashed with him over Iran, Afghanistan and North Korea. He faced scrutiny during the first Trump administration over a book he wrote about his time in government, “The Room Where It Happened,” that officials argued disclosed classified information. The Justice Department in 2021 abandoned its lawsuit and dropped a separate grand jury investigation into the book, which was published in 2020, after a White House National Security Council official said the manuscript no longer contained classified information, the department said in a letter to Bolton. The search is part of an investigation into how the White House handled classified documents, a source says. It is unclear what Bolton has been charged with, according to the source.

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The FBI is searching the Maryland home of John Bolton, who served in President Donald Trump’s first administration as national security adviser but later became critical of the president, as part of an investigation into the handling of classified documents, a person familiar with the matter said Friday.

The person was not authorized to discuss the investigation by name and spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press.

Messages left with a spokesperson for Bolton and the White House were not immediately returned. A lawyer who has represented Bolton had no immediate comment Friday.

Here’s the latest:

An Iranian operative was charged with plotting to kill Bolton in 2022

The plot was in presumed retaliation for a January 2020 U.S. airstrike that killed the country’s most powerful general. Bolton had by then left the Trump administration but tweeted, “Hope this is the first step to regime change in Tehran.”

Bolton became a strong Trump critic after leaving his administration

In his book “The Room Where It Happened,” Bolton portrayed Trump as grossly ill-informed about foreign policy and said he “saw conspiracies behind rocks, and remained stunningly uninformed on how to run the White House, let alone the huge federal government.”

Trump responded by slamming Bolton as a “crazy” war-monger who would have led the country into “World War Six.”

Trump’s schedule for Friday

The president is scheduled to make an “announcement” at noon ET in the Oval Office. It’s unclear what it will be about.

This is the only event on Trump’s public schedule.

Trump officials previously scrutinized Bolton’s scathing book

Bolton faced scrutiny during the first Trump administration over a book he wrote about his time in government, “The Room Where it Happened,” that officials argued disclosed classified information.

The Justice Department in 2021 abandoned its lawsuit and dropped a separate grand jury investigation.

Bolton’s lawyers have said he moved forward with the book, which was published in 2020, after a White House National Security Council official, with whom Bolton had worked for months, had said the manuscript no longer contained classified information.

Bolton seen at Washington office talking to FBI agents

As the search was ongoing, Bolton could be seen standing inside in the lobby of the Washington building where he keeps an office and talking to two people with “FBI” visible on their vests.

He was spotted by an Associated Press reporter who arrived at the building. He left a few minutes later and appeared to have gone upstairs in the building.

Roger Stone: ‘How does it feel?’

Longtime political adviser Roger Stone, who was prosecuted during the Russia investigation and later pardoned by Trump, was gleeful on social media.

“How does it feel to have your home raided at 6 o’clock in the morning?” he posted.

Intelligence leaders posted online about the search of Bolton’s home

FBI Director Kash Patel, who in a 2023 book he wrote included Bolton in a list of “members of the Executive Branch Deep State,” posted on X: “NO ONE is above the law… @FBI agents on mission.” Attorney General Pam Bondi shared his post, adding: “America’s safety isn’t negotiable. Justice will be pursued. Always.”

Bolton has not been detained or charged with any crimes

That’s according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to discuss the investigation by name and spoke on the condition of anonymity to The Associated Press.

— Eric Tucker

Bolton’s security clearance was revoked in January

On his first day back in office this year, Trump, a Republican, revoked the security clearances of more than four dozen former intelligence officials, including Bolton. Bolton was also among a trio of former Trump officials whose security details were canceled by Trump earlier this year.

What to know about John Bolton

During Trump’s first term, Bolton served as the president’s third national security adviser for 17 months and clashed with him over Iran, Afghanistan and North Korea. The first Trump administration had unsuccessfully sought to block the publication of a Bolton book that it said contained classified information.

Source: Wdio.com | View original article

FBI searches home and office of ex-Trump national security adviser John Bolton, AP source says

The FBI is searching the Maryland home and Washington office of John Bolton. Bolton served in President Donald Trump’s first administration as national security adviser. The searches are part of an investigation into the handling of classified information, a person said. Bolton was not detained and has not been charged with any crimes, the person said, who was not authorized to discuss the investigation by name and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. He was spotted Friday morning standing in the lobby of the Washington building where he keeps an office and talking to two people with “FBI’s” visible on their vests. He left a few minutes later and appeared to have gone upstairs in the building, the source said. He faced scrutiny during the first Trump administration over a book he wrote about his time in government that officials argued disclosed classified information. The Justice Department in 2021 abandoned its lawsuit and dropped a separate grand jury investigation.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI is searching the Maryland home and Washington office of John Bolton, who served in President Donald Trump’s first administration as national security adviser but later became critical of the president, as part of an investigation into the handling of classified information, a person familiar with the matter said Friday.

Bolton was not detained and has not been charged with any crimes, said the person, who was not authorized to discuss the investigation by name and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.

After the search at Bolton’s home started, he was spotted Friday morning standing in the lobby of the Washington building where he keeps an office and talking to two people with “FBI” visible on their vests. He left a few minutes later and appeared to have gone upstairs in the building.

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Messages left with a spokesperson for Bolton and the White House were not immediately returned. A lawyer who has represented Bolton had no immediate comment.

The Justice Department also had no comment, but leaders appeared to cryptically refer to the search of Bolton’s home in a series of social media posts Friday morning.

FBI Director Kash Patel, who in a 2023 book he wrote included Bolton in a list of “members of the Executive Branch Deep State,” posted on X: “NO ONE is above the law… @FBI agents on mission.” Attorney General Pam Bondi shared his post, adding: “America’s safety isn’t negotiable. Justice will be pursued. Always.”

The searches of Bolton’s home and office comes as the Trump administration has taken steps to examine the activities of other perceived adversaries of the Republican president, including by authorizing a grand jury investigation into the origins of the Trump-Russia probe. Officials are also conducting mortgage fraud investigations into Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff of California and New York Attorney General Letitia James, who brought a civil fraud lawsuit against Trump and his company, and ex-Trump prosecutor Jack Smith faces an investigation from an independent watchdog office. Schiff and James have vigorously denied any wrongdoing through their lawyers.

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In an ABC interview earlier this month, Bolton was asked about whether he was worried about the Trump administration taking action against him. Bolton said Trump had “already come after” him by taking away his security detail, and he added: “I think it is a retribution presidency.”

Bolton served as Trump’s third national security adviser for 17 months and clashed with him over Iran, Afghanistan and North Korea. He faced scrutiny during the first Trump administration over a book he wrote about his time in government that officials argued disclosed classified information, but the Justice Department in 2021 abandoned its lawsuit and dropped a separate grand jury investigation.

Bolton’s lawyers have said he moved forward with the book after a White House National Security Council official, with whom Bolton had worked for months, said the manuscript no longer contained classified information.

On his first day back in office this year, Trump revoked the security clearances of more than four dozen former intelligence officials, including Bolton. Bolton was also among a group of former Trump officials whose security details were canceled by Trump earlier this year.

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Bolton’s scathing book, “The Room Where It Happened,” portrayed Trump as grossly ill-informed about foreign policy and said he “saw conspiracies behind rocks, and remained stunningly uninformed on how to run the White House, let alone the huge federal government.”

Trump responded by slamming Bolton as a “crazy” war-monger who would have led the country into “World War Six.”

Bolton served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush and also held positions in President Ronald Reagan’s administration. He had considered running for president in 2012 and 2016.

In 2022, an Iranian operative was charged in a plot to kill Bolton in presumed retaliation for a January 2020 U.S. airstrike that killed the country’s most powerful general. Bolton had by then left the Trump administration but tweeted, “Hope this is the first step to regime change in Tehran.”

____

Associated Press writers Michelle L. Price, Jill Colvin, Nathan Ellgren and Alanna Durkin Richer contributed to this report.

Eric Tucker, The Associated Press

Source: Ca.news.yahoo.com | View original article

FBI searches home of former Trump national security adviser John Bolton, AP source says

Bolton was not detained and has not been charged with any crimes. The FBI is searching the Maryland home of John Bolton, a person familiar with the matter says. Bolton served in President Donald Trump’s first administration as national security adviser. He later became critical of the president and wrote a scathing book about his time in government. The search of Bolton’s home comes as the Trump administration has taken steps to examine the activities of other perceived adversaries of the Republican president. The Justice Department also had no comment, but leaders appeared to cryptically refer to the search in a series of social media posts Friday morning. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush and also held positions in President Ronald Reagan’s administration had considered running for president in 2012 and 2016. and in 2022, an Iranian operative was charged in a plot to kill Bolton in presumed retaliation for a January 2020 U.s. airstrike that killed the country’s most powerful general.

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Bolton was not detained and has not been charged with any crimes related to the investigation into the handling of classified information.

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WASHINGTON — The FBI is searching the Maryland home of John Bolton, who served in President Donald Trump’s first administration as national security adviser but later became critical of the president, as part of an investigation into the handling of classified information, a person familiar with the matter said Friday.

Bolton was not detained and has not been charged with any crimes, said the person, who was not authorized to discuss the investigation by name and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.

Messages left with a spokesperson for Bolton and the White House were not immediately returned. A lawyer who has represented Bolton had no immediate comment.

The Justice Department also had no comment, but leaders appeared to cryptically refer to the search of Bolton’s home in a series of social media posts Friday morning.

FBI Director Kash Patel, who in a 2023 book he wrote included Bolton in a list of “members of the Executive Branch Deep State,” posted on X: “NO ONE is above the law… @FBI agents on mission.” Attorney General Pam Bondi shared his post, adding: “America’s safety isn’t negotiable. Justice will be pursued. Always.”

The search of Bolton’s home comes as the Trump administration has taken steps to examine the activities of other perceived adversaries of the Republican president, including by authorizing a grand jury investigation into the origins of the Trump-Russia probe. Officials are also conducting mortgage fraud investigations into Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff of California and New York Attorney General Letitia James, who brought a civil fraud lawsuit against Trump and his company, and ex-Trump prosecutor Jack Smith faces an investigation from an independent watchdog office. Schiff and James have vigorously denied any wrongdoing through their lawyers.