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Vice President JD Vance denied that Friday’s FBI raid on John Bolton’s home was related to the former national security adviser’s vocal criticism of President Donald Trump. Federal agents searched the Maryland home of Bolton, early Friday morning as part of a long-running investigation into the handling of classified documents. FBI Director Kash Patel ordered the raid, which was first reported by The New York Post and Daily Mail U.S., both citing senior officials in the Trump administration. Vance told NBC News’s “Meet the Press” that the investigation was in its early stages and centers on classified documents and a “broad concern” about Bolton. When pushed on whether he thought Bolton was being targeted because of his Trump criticisms, he said, “no, not at all.” What to Know: FBI agents entered Bolton’s Bethesda, Maryland home at 7 a.m. Friday, as part of a classified records probe.

Bolton has not been detained or charged, according to sources familiar with the matter.

FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X shortly after the raid: “NO ONE is above the law… @FBI agents on mission”.

Bolton served as Trump’s national security adviser for 17 months and later became a vocal critic of the president.

He previously faced scrutiny over his 2020 memoir, which officials alleged contained classified material; the Justice Department dropped its lawsuit in 2021.

Trump revoked Bolton’s security clearance and protection earlier this year upon returning to office. Follow Newsweek for live updates.

02:05 PM EDT JD Vance denies Bolton targeted for his criticism of Trump Vice President JD Vance denied that John Bolton was targeted in the FBI raid on his home on Friday, because of his vocal criticism of President Donald Trump. Vance told NBC News’s “Meet the Press” that the investigation was in its early stages and centers on classified documents and a “broad concern” about Bolton. If no crime is found during the investigation, no prosecution will be brought, but that if a crime is found “Ambassador Bolton will get his day in court.” When pushed on whether he thought Bolton was being targeted because of his Trump criticisms, he said, “no, not at all.” He added that if the administration was targeting Trump critics, then “we would just throw out prosecutions willy-nilly.”

01:40 PM EDT Fox News contributor calls FBI raid on John Bolton ‘very sad development’ Fox News’ Andy McCarthy expressed his disappointment over the FBI’s raid at the home of John Bolton. McCarthy said that the raid at the Bethesda home of the President Donald Trump critic was a “very sad development,: “It’s one we’ve seen again and again, but this is an ancient feud. It’s all, I think, over Bolton’s book. Bolton went on a jihad against Trump after he got fired,” he said Friday. McCarthy said that much of the dispute over Bolton’s book had already been settled after both sides decided to drop their litigation previously and the Biden administration had dropped its criminal case. He added that because of this, he doubted Bolden would be charged. “This is ancient history,” he said. “Now, it’s probably dumb on my part to speculate here because until you see what they’ve actually taken out of his home, and, you know, if they hit a home run and they find something that looks like it’s at least within the ballpark of being classified, then you don’t have a statute of limitations problem, or all the other stuff that you usually have to worry about with, you know ancient history. So we’ll just have to see. “But I must say, I think that we saw with President Trump, I was hoping that his administration wouldn’t practice the things that were practiced on him, but a big part of lawfare is to harass people with investigations,” he continued. “So even if there are never any charges, there’s going to be, there’s already been a search warrant. There’s obviously a criminal investigation that’s underway, there’ll probably be a grand jury component of it. And even if there’s no charges, this will be a very big deal for Bolton personally in the coming months, and maybe even years.”

01:19 PM EDT Steve Bannon says ‘no one is above the law’ Steve Bannon echoed the comments of FBI Director Kash Patel on Friday, when he appeared to celebrate the raid on John Bolton’s home. “Finally: No one is above the law,” wrote Bannon, a former White House’s chief strategist.

12:59 PM EDT Roger Stone mocks John Bolton raid, after his own dawn raid in 2019 Roger Stone has made several social media posts mocking John Bolton’s FBI raid, comparing it to his own dawn raid in 2019. “Good morning. John Bolton. How does it feel to have your home raided at 6 o’clock in the morning?” Stone posted on X on Friday. In the early morning hours of January 25, 2019, federal agents executed a pre-dawn raid on Roger Stone’s home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This operation stemmed from an indictment by Special Counsel Robert Mueller amid the broader investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Stone was taken into federal custody, released on bond, and maintained that the charges against him were politically motivated. Later in 2020, President Trump commuted his sentence, and then issued a full pardon in December. Good morning. John Bolton. How does it feel to have your home raided at 6 o’clock in the morning? — Roger Stone (@RogerJStoneJr) August 22, 2025 Patiently waiting for John Bolton’s arrest photos from 6 am this morning pic.twitter.com/BeGKsjwmQ5 — Roger Stone (@RogerJStoneJr) August 22, 2025

12:49 PM EDT Trump says he could have ordered Bolton raid, calls himself ‘chief law enforcement officer’ Trump said Friday that while he was not informed in advance of the FBI’s search of John Bolton’s Maryland home, he had the authority to initiate it if he chose. Speaking to reporters in Washington, Trump stated, “I could know about it. I could be the one starting it. I’m actually the chief law enforcement officer. But I feel that it’s better this way.” The comments came hours after federal agents executed a court-authorized search as part of a national security investigation into Bolton’s handling of classified documents. Trump, who revoked Bolton’s security detail earlier this year, has repeatedly criticized his former national security adviser, calling him “not a smart guy” and “very unpatriotic.”

12:35 PM EDT Marjorie Taylor Greene comments in John Bolton raid Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene commented on the FBI raid on John Bolton’s home on Friday, as she said the agents were searching for “classified documents that he should not possess.” Greene commented on the raid as she criticized an NPR article on a January 6 attorney, who represented several rioters. Today as we see Trump’s FBI raid John Bolton’s house looking for classified documents that he should not possess, I’m sharing a political hit piece by NPR (no surprise) on my good friend, attorney now with the DOJ, Jonathan Gross, who courageously defended J6’ers – who not only… — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) August 22, 2025

12:31 PM EDT RECAP: FBI raids John Bolton’s home in renewed classified documents probe Federal agents searched the Maryland home of former National Security Adviser John Bolton early Friday as part of a national security investigation into the handling of classified materials. The FBI confirmed it was conducting “court-authorized activity” and emphasized there was no threat to public safety. The search, which began around 7 a.m., reportedly stems from a criminal inquiry that originated during the Biden administration but was not pursued at the time. A second location tied to Bolton in Washington, D.C., was also searched. Bolton, a prominent critic of Donald Trump since leaving the administration in 2019, has faced past scrutiny over his 2020 memoir, The Room Where It Happened. The Justice Department previously sued to block its release, alleging it contained classified content, but the case was dropped in 2021. Trump, who revoked Bolton’s security detail earlier this year, denied prior knowledge of the raid. FBI Director Kash Patel and other senior officials posted cryptic messages on social media referencing the operation, with Patel writing, “NO ONE is above the law.” The investigation reportedly includes concerns about potential leaks to the media. Bolton has not been charged, and his legal team has not issued a public statement. The Justice Department maintains that its decisions in the case have been based on legal merit, not political motivation.

12:25 PM EDT The Bolton-Trump feud explained John Bolton’s tenure as Donald Trump’s National Security Advisor was marked by sharp policy disagreements and a fundamental clash of styles that ultimately led to one of the most acrimonious fallouts of the Trump presidency. Appointed in April 2018, Bolton was known for his hardline foreign policy positions, particularly on Iran, North Korea and Venezuela. Trump, by contrast, often preferred symbolic diplomacy and headline-grabbing meetings over sustained confrontation. The divergence in approach created constant friction inside the White House. The relationship collapsed in September 2019. Trump announced on social media that he had dismissed Bolton, while Bolton countered that he had resigned. Trump quickly turned on his former adviser, publicly deriding him as a “warmonger” who advocated for endless wars but failed to deliver results. Bolton, initially restrained, soon began to signal deep dysfunction at the highest levels of government. The feud escalated dramatically in June 2020 with the release of Bolton’s memoir, The Room Where It Happened. The book portrayed Trump as erratic, uninformed and motivated largely by personal and political interests. Among its most damaging allegations was the claim that Trump sought China’s assistance in his re-election campaign and prioritized trade negotiations over national security. The president responded with fury, branding Bolton a liar, “wacko,” and profiteer willing to expose classified information. Since then, the dispute has become entrenched. Trump continues to dismiss Bolton as disloyal and ineffective, while Bolton has positioned himself as one of Trump’s fiercest Republican critics, arguing that the former president is unfit for office and a danger to national security.

12:15 PM EDT FBI raids John Bolton’s home over 2020 memoir: What he wrote about Trump FBI agents are seen outside John Bolton’s house, President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, after the FBI conducted a court-authorized search at his place on August 22, 2025 in Bethesda, Maryland. FBI agents are seen outside John Bolton’s house, President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, after the FBI conducted a court-authorized search at his place on August 22, 2025 in Bethesda, Maryland. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images The FBI was searching the Maryland home and Washington office of former national security adviser John Bolton on Friday morning, part of a renewed investigation into the alleged mishandling of classified information related to his 2020 memoir, The Room Where It Happened, a source told CNN and the Associated Press. Bolton, a hawkish figure who frequently clashed with then-President Donald Trump and later became one of his fiercest critics, was not detained or charged. The dual search warrants, however, signaled a sharp escalation in a case once thought closed. At the time of its release, The Room Where It Happened was one of the most high-profile and damaging insider accounts of the Trump presidency. It sold more than 780,000 copies in its first week. Trump publicly threatened Bolton with jail time, and his Justice Department sued to block the book’s release and seize the author’s profits. Read the full story by Jesus Mesa on Newsweek.

11:58 AM EDT Who is John Bolton’s wife? John Bolton, the former national security adviser and longtime conservative figure, has been married to Gretchen Smith Bolton since 1986. Gretchen, a financial planner with AXA Advisors, was born in Kansas City in 1945 and was previously divorced in 1973 before marrying Bolton. The couple has one daughter, Jennifer Sarah Bolton, a Yale graduate who currently works in the private sector. Before his current marriage, Bolton was married to Christina Bolton from 1972 until their divorce in 1983. Since 1986, he and Gretchen have lived in Bethesda, Maryland, where they’ve maintained a quiet but visible presence in the community.

11:51 AM EDT Bernie Sanders defends John Bolton amid FBI raid John Bolton has found an unlikely ally in Sen. Bernie Sanders who condemned Donald Trump and his administration for raiding the home of someone who criticized the president. “John Bolton and I have nothing in common politically,” he said. “But last time I heard, in America, people are allowed to criticize the President of the United States without the FBI showing up on their doorstep. “Just another step in Trump’s march toward authoritarianism,” he added. John Bolton and I have nothing in common politically.

But last time I heard, in America, people are allowed to criticize the President of the United States without the FBI showing up on their doorstep.

Just another step in Trump’s march toward authoritarianism. https://t.co/liIpRuDf2L — Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) August 22, 2025

11:42 AM EDT WATCH | Trump reacts to John Bolton raid: ‘He’s not a very smart guy’

11:41 AM EDT Norm Eisen condemns FBI raid on Bolton as political intimidation Former U.S. ambassador and impeachment counsel Norm Eisen sharply criticized the FBI’s search of John Bolton’s home and office, calling it “an obvious act of intimidation.” In a joint statement with Susan Corke, executive director of the Democracy Defenders Fund, Eisen argued the raid undermines the right to dissent from government authority. “Raiding the home of a high-profile critic in this way is an attack on the fundamental American right to disagree with the government,” the statement read. Eisen contrasted the operation with the 2022 search of Donald Trump’s Florida estate, noting that federal agents had spent a year negotiating with Trump before executing the warrant. The Bolton raid, he suggested, lacked similar restraint and raises concerns about politically motivated enforcement.

11:25 AM EDT WATCH: What we know about the raid of John Bolton’s house

11:22 AM EDT Trump brands Bolton a ‘lowlife’ President Donald Trump has branded John Bolton “a real sort of lowlife” as the FBI raided the home of his former National Security Advisor. Trump has repeatedly attacked Bolton since the release of his memoir, The Room Where It Happened, which portrayed Trump as erratic, uninformed, and often driven by personal or political gain rather than national interest. On Thursday, Trump claimed he knew little about the raid on Bolton’s home, but then suggested that he himself “could be the one starting it. I’m actually the chief law enforcement officer.” “He’s not a smart guy. But he could be a very unpatriotic guy. We’re gonna find out,” Trump added of Bolton.

11:18 AM EDT WATCH: Trump says he is ‘not a fan’ of Bolton WATCH: President Trump launches a scathing attack on John Bolton after the FBI raided his home in a dramatic development.

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11:16 AM EDT When was John Bolton’s memoir released? John Bolton’s memoir, The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir, was officially published and released on June 23, 2020. It recounts his time as U.S. National Security Advisor, from 2018 to 2019, under Donald Trump. The book focuses on behind-the-scenes details of the Trump administration’s foreign policy, portraying President Trump as erratic, uninformed, and often driven by personal or political gain rather than national interest.

11:02 AM EDT Bolton’s Bethesda neighbors react to FBI raid and public persona John Bolton’s home in Bethesda, Maryland, has long stood out in the quiet suburban neighborhood, marked by black SUVs and a steady Secret Service presence—until earlier this year, when President Trump revoked Bolton’s security detail. The move followed escalating tensions between the former national security adviser and the administration. On Friday morning, as FBI agents searched the property in connection with a classified documents investigation, neighbors offered mixed reactions. Gerald Rogell, who lives across the street, described Bolton as distant. “John Bolton is not our favorite person,” he said, attributing the aloofness to Bolton’s high-profile career. Despite personal impressions, Rogell and others expressed uncertainty about the motives behind the search, with some questioning whether it was politically driven. The raid has intensified scrutiny of Bolton’s past disclosures and reignited debate over the use of federal power in politically charged investigations.

10:48 AM EDT Trump is ‘not a fan’ of Bolton Trump said Friday he was not informed in advance about the FBI’s search of former national security adviser John Bolton’s Maryland residence. Speaking to reporters in Washington, Trump highlighted that he had instructed the Justice Department not to brief him on such matters. “I’m not a fan of John Bolton,” Trump added.

10:32 AM EDT Legal expert warns Bolton could face up to 20 years if national defense info involved Constitutional law scholar Jonathan Turley says the FBI’s investigation into former National Security Adviser John Bolton could carry severe legal consequences if it involves national defense information. Speaking on Fox News, Turley noted that such cases trigger elevated penalties under federal law. “We’re not clear as to what that is, but I would suggest that it could be national defense information,” Turley said. “The reason that’s important is that it creates a heightened potential of penalty, so you can have penalties that last five to 20 years.” Legal expert Jonathan Turley says the FBI probe into John Bolton could result in YEARS in prison because it may involve national defense info.

“It could be national defense information. That creates a heightened potential penalty…5 to 20 YEARS.” pic.twitter.com/XfKV5oQLIv — Martin Walsh (@martinwalsh__) August 22, 2025

10:19 AM EDT Trump: ‘I know nothing about it’ Speaking today, Trump said he didn’t know about the FBI raid on Bolton’s home. Trump added: “When I hired him, he served a good purpose because he was one of the people that forced George W. Bush to do the ridiculous bombings in the Middle East.” “He can be very unpatriotic. We’re going to find out. I know nothing about it, I just saw it this morning.”

10:18 AM EDT FBI agents seen entering Bolton’s home as media crowds Bethesda Street FBI agents work outside the home of John Bolton, former national security adviser to President Trump, August 22, 2025 in Bethesda, Maryland. FBI agents work outside the home of John Bolton, former national security adviser to President Trump, August 22, 2025 in Bethesda, Maryland. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images Federal agents were spotted Friday morning carrying cardboard boxes into the Bethesda, Maryland, home of former National Security Adviser John Bolton, intensifying public attention around an ongoing classified documents investigation. The agents, wearing FBI jackets, arrived as part of a court-authorized search that began earlier in the day. Outside the residence, roughly two dozen reporters gathered along the busy suburban road, while local police maintained a visible presence. Six vehicles, including a dark-colored SUV, were parked in Bolton’s driveway as agents continued their activity inside.

10:12 AM EDT FBI Deputy Director Bongino says ‘public corruption will not be tolerated’ FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino has warned that “public corruption will not be tolerated” as the raid continues on John Bolton’s home. Bongino made his comments on X, as he shared an earlier post from FBI Director Kash Patel who had shared a cryptic message this morning, writing “No one is above the law.” Public corruption will not be tolerated. https://t.co/VNzFdO6oVS — Dan Bongino (@FBIDDBongino) August 22, 2025

10:05 AM EDT Bolton home search tied to memoir’s alleged disclosures The FBI’s search of John Bolton’s Maryland residence is part of a revived investigation into whether the former national security adviser unlawfully disclosed classified information in his 2020 memoir, The Room Where It Happened, according to reporting by CNN’s Kristen Holmes. The book, which offered a scathing account of President Donald Trump’s first term, quickly became a bestseller and drew sharp criticism from the White House. Federal officials previously attempted to block its release, citing national security concerns, but the Justice Department dropped its lawsuit in 2021. Bolton has not been charged, and his legal team has yet to comment publicly on the search.

10:00 AM EDT House Intel Chair Rep. Crawford calls FBI raid ‘troubling’ House Intel Chair, Rep. Rick Crawford, called the FBI raid of John Bolton’s home “troubling” on Friday. Crawford, a Republican representative for Arkansas, said that “while all accused are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, the news of this situation is incredibly troubling. “Nobody is above the law,” he added before thanking FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi for “their professionalism in ensuring this case moves forward to conclusion.” I am monitoring this situation closely. While all accused are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, the news of this situation is incredibly troubling. Nobody is above the law. I thank @FBIDirectorKash and @AGPamBondi for their professionalism in ensuring… https://t.co/QjslGodu5u — Rep. Rick Crawford (@RepRickCrawford) August 22, 2025

09:48 AM EDT Bolton’s team silent as FBI raid prompts media scrutiny Efforts to obtain comment from John Bolton’s office following the FBI raid on his Maryland home have been met with silence. When contacted by Newsweek, an assistant at the Foundation for American Security and Freedom abruptly ended the call after being asked about the search. Subsequent calls went unanswered and straight to voicemail. Attempts to contact the FBI yielded similar results—calls were picked up but terminated before any statements were made.

09:44 AM EDT FBI speaks out about John Bolton’s home being raided Top officials at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have reacted after feds raided the home of former national security adviser John Bolton. “NO ONE is above the law… @FBI agents on mission,” FBI Director Kash Patel posted to X on Friday. Deputy Director Dan Bongino reposted Patel’s comments alongside the caption: “Public corruption will not be tolerated.” While neither directly mentioned Bolton, a member of President Donald Trump’s first-term administration, their comments came shortly after the New York Post reported that the FBI had launched a raid of Bolton’s residence in the Washington, D.C. area. Citing an unnamed official in the administration, the Post reported that the raid was prompted by a year-long national security probe into Bolton involving classified documents. Read in full from Hugh Cameron on Newsweek.

09:30 AM EDT FBI confirms it is conducting ‘court-authorized activity’ A Montgomery County police officer stands guard outside John Bolton’s house, Donald Trump’s former national security advisor after FBI agents conducted a court-authorized search at his place on August 22, 2025 in Bethesda, Maryland. A Montgomery County police officer stands guard outside John Bolton’s house, Donald Trump’s former national security advisor after FBI agents conducted a court-authorized search at his place on August 22, 2025 in Bethesda, Maryland. Pedro Ugarte Federal agents searched the Maryland residence of former National Security Adviser John Bolton on Friday, marking a significant escalation in a years-long investigation into his handling of classified materials. The FBI confirmed it was conducting “court-authorized activity,” though Bolton has not been charged. The inquiry centers on whether Bolton unlawfully retained or disclosed sensitive information, including material tied to his 2020 memoir, The Room Where It Happened. The Trump administration previously attempted to block the book’s release, citing national security concerns, but courts allowed publication. The case, dormant for years, has gained momentum under Trump’s second term. One of his first actions upon returning to office was revoking Bolton’s security detail, originally granted due to threats from Iran. Legal experts note that home searches often signal a late-stage effort to corroborate evidence already gathered through digital or subpoenaed records. Bolton’s legal team has not commented publicly on the raid.

09:16 AM EDT Bolton: ‘I think he’s already come after me and several others’ In a recent appearance on ABC News’ This Week, before this raid, former National Security Adviser John Bolton expressed concern that the Trump administration is targeting him and others as part of a broader campaign of political retaliation. When asked by host Jonathan Karl whether he feared being singled out, Bolton responded, “I think he’s already come after me and several others,” referencing the withdrawal of security protections following the U.S. strike on Iranian commander Qasem Suleimani. Bolton added that he views the current administration as a “retribution presidency.”

09:01 AM EDT Adam Kinzinger calls Bolton raid ‘a message’ Former Congressman Adam Kinzinger sharply criticized the FBI’s raid on John Bolton’s Maryland home, calling it an act of intimidation rather than a legitimate pursuit of justice. In a post on X, Kinzinger claimed the Trump-aligned FBI had spent a year requesting classified documents from Bolton before executing the search. “This is pure intimidation on Bolton,” he wrote. “But there will be no conviction… it’s the raid that is the message.” Regarding Bolton raid: the FBI with Trump had requested for a year that he give them the classified info they knew he had.

This is pure intimidation on Bolton. But there will be no conviction… it’s the raid that is the message. And nobody will be intimidated by Eyes McGhee pic.twitter.com/qId9LMXMwq — Adam Kinzinger (Slava Ukraini) 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@AdamKinzinger) August 22, 2025

08:48 AM EDT Miles Taylor condemns FBI raid on John Bolton’s home as political retaliation Former Homeland Security official Miles Taylor reacted sharply Friday to news of the FBI’s raid on John Bolton’s Maryland home, writing in a post on X, “You cannot ignore this, America. Our Republic is being used as a revenge machine.” BREAKING: FBI raids former Trump nat’l security advisor John Bolton’s home. Bolton has become a major Trump critic since the first administration.

You cannot ignore this, America.

Our Republic is being used as a revenge machine. — Miles Taylor (@MilesTaylorUSA) August 22, 2025

08:36 AM EDT Mulvaney brings up Bolton’s 2022 defense of FBI as agents search home A 2022 quote from former National Security Adviser John Bolton is drawing renewed attention following his own FBI search today. In the aftermath of the Mar-a-Lago raid three years ago, Bolton urged restraint, saying, “Everybody just ought to calm down, whether you’re pro-Trump or anti-Trump, and let the process work its way through,” according to a tweet shared by former Trump chief of staff Mick Mulvaney. “Everybody just ought to calm down, whether you’re pro-Trump or anti-Trump, and let the process work its way through,” John Bolton, on the Mar-a-Lago FBI raid, August 2022. — Mick Mulvaney (@MickMulvaney) August 22, 2025

08:23 AM EDT Bolton tweeted about Russia-Ukraine peace talks ahead of announcement of raid Former National Security Adviser John Bolton criticized ongoing diplomatic efforts between Russia and Ukraine in a tweet this morning ahead of the announcement of his home raid, asserting that Moscow’s core objective remains unchanged: absorbing Ukraine into a revived Russian empire. “Russia has not changed its goal,” Bolton wrote on X. “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.” Bolton added, “Meetings will continue because Trump wants a Nobel Peace Prize,” he added, “but I don’t see these talks making any progress.” His remarks come amid renewed trilateral discussions involving Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and Russian officials. Russia has not changed its goal: drag Ukraine into a new Russian Empire. 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… — John Bolton (@AmbJohnBolton) August 22, 2025

08:13 AM EDT Bolton said in 2020 that he destroyed notes before leaving the White House In 2020, former National Security Adviser John Bolton said he did not retain or remove any classified documents when he left the White House in 2019, asserting that all notes taken during his tenure were destroyed. In a Fox News interview at the time, Bolton explained that he routinely disposed of his handwritten records using burn bags, a practice he claimed was common among senior officials. The comments came as Bolton’s memoir, The Room Where It Happened, was released despite efforts by the Department of Justice to block its publication. A federal judge allowed the book to proceed, acknowledging national security concerns but noting its widespread pre-release circulation. Bolton denied violating the Presidential Records Act, arguing the notes were not official records and that others followed similar procedures. At the time, the DOJ filed a civil suit seeking to prevent Bolton from profiting from the book, which reportedly earned him a $2 million advance. The memoir includes explosive allegations about then-President Donald Trump, including claims of soliciting election help from China and leveraging military aid to pressure Ukraine.

08:09 AM EDT Bondi: ‘Justice will be pursued’ Attorney General Pam Bondi shared a tweet, quoting FBI Director Kash Patel on X, writing: “America’s safety isn’t negotiable. Justice will be pursued. Always.” America’s safety isn’t negotiable. Justice will be pursued. Always. https://t.co/Feev4Cxqlj — Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) August 22, 2025

08:02 AM EDT FBI searches John Bolton’s Maryland home in classified documents probe Federal agents searched the Bethesda, Maryland, home of former national security adviser John Bolton early Friday as part of an investigation into the handling of classified materials. Bolton, who served under President Donald Trump for 17 months before becoming a vocal critic, was not detained and has not been charged, according to a source familiar with the matter. The search comes amid renewed scrutiny of Bolton’s past disclosures, including his 2020 memoir, which previously drew accusations of revealing sensitive information. The Justice Department dropped its case against him in 2021. Earlier this year, Trump revoked the security clearances of dozens of former intelligence officials, including Bolton, and canceled his protective detail. The FBI has not commented publicly on the scope or origin of the current investigation.

Members of the National Guard patrol a Metro station in Washington DC, on Wednesday. Dominic Gwinn/Middle East Images/AFP/Getty Images

President Donald Trump said Friday he can keep troops in Washington, DC, “as long as I want” if he declares a national emergency.

“If I think we’re in great shape here, that’s one thing,” he said in the Oval Office. “But if I don’t, I’m going to just say it’s a national emergency. And if I have a national emergency, I can keep the troops there as long as I want.”

Trump seemed to conflate keeping the National Guard deployed in DC with his takeover of the local police department. He said he could subvert a provision under the District of Columbia’s Home Rule Act, which says the federal government can seize control of the city’s police force for up to 30 days during emergencies. After that, he would need congressional approval to continue controlling the Metropolitan Police Department.

In a hearing last week, Justice Department attorneys told a federal judge that unless Congress extended Trump’s ability to effectively control Washington, DC’s police department, Trump’s order would expire.

But Trump, who pledged to eliminate crime when he deployed federal law enforcement earlier this month, has now suggested on multiple occasions that he’ll need to maintain his influence over the city’s policing for far longer to cut down on crime long-term.

“It’s one thing to get them out, it’s another thing to keep them out for a long period of time,” Trump said. “That’s going to take more than 30 days.”

The president also said he’s already talked with House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune about a planned request for $2 billion to funnel toward beautifying DC. He said that would be “very easy to get.”

Holmes Lybrand contributed to this post.

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WASHINGTON − FBI agents searched former national security adviser John Bolton’s house in suburban Maryland, in what the agency called a “court authorized activity” and critics of the administration called “vindictive” and “unnecessary.”

Bolton, who served in President Donald Trump’s first term, was previously investigated for allegedly including classified information in his 2020 book about the administration. But the Justice Department dropped that inquiry without charges.

Bolton has become a vocal critic of the administration’s foreign policy and called the president unfit to serve. Trump, who revoked Bolton’s security detail and his security clearance after returning to the White House this year, called Bolton a “lowlife” on Aug. 22 but said he didn’t know more about the search than what he saw on television.

The search was part of a national security probe ordered by FBI Director Kash Patel, according to the New York Post. CNN also reported the search. Follow along with USA TODAY for live updates.

Bolton in 2020: Trump efforts to block his book all about politics, not classified information

John Bolton said in a 2020 USA TODAY interview that then-President Donald Trump didn’t want Bolton’s tell-all memoir coming out before the November presidential election and that Trump’s effort to block its publication “has nothing to do with classified information.”

Bolton made the comments in a June 18, 2020, interview with USA TODAY’s Susan Page, referring to Trump’s accusations he had included classified information in his book, “The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir.”

Trump’s Justice Department at the time started a criminal investigation and filed a federal lawsuit to block publication of Bolton’s $2 million book, alleging that it contained “significant amounts of classified information,” including some classified as “TOP SECRET.” The inquiry was dropped without charges.

“In my view, it was never my intention to disclose classified information. I had plenty to write about without doing that,” Bolton told Page at the time. As a result, he said, “I didn’t really feel I had to submit the book for pre-publication review for that reason, but I did out of abundance of caution.”

Bolton said he and his lawyer went through an arduous four-month classification review process and the government itself in its complaint agreed that there was no more classified information in the manuscript.

But then the Trump administration went back to do a second review, Bolton said, to “try and stretch out whatever they can.”

“I think the main thing that the president wants to avoid is the book coming out before the election. This has nothing to do with classified information,” Bolton told Page. “It’s the revelation about the president himself that bothers him. He’s not worried about foreign governments reading this book. He’s worried about the American people reading this book.”

–Josh Meyer and Susan Page

Vance says classified documents are part of Bolton inquiry

Vice President JD Vance said “classified documents are certainly part of” the search of Bolton’s house but federal authorities have broad concerns about the former national security adviser, in an interview with “Meet the Press with Kristen Welker.”

Vance said the investigation is “in the very early stages” and that if no evidence of crimes is found Bolton wouldn’t be charged.

“Classified documents are certainly part of it, but I think that there’s a broad concern about, about Ambassador Bolton,” Vance told NBC.

Vance denied Bolton was targeted because he is a critic of the administration.

“We are investigating Ambassador Bolton, but if they ultimately bring a case, it will be because they determine that he has broken the law,” Vance told NBC. “We’re going to be deliberate about that, because we don’t think that we should throw people even if they disagree with us politically, maybe especially if they disagree with us politically, you shouldn’t throw people willy-nilly in prison.”

–Bart Jansen

FBI confirms activity at Bolton house but doesn’t identify target of investigation

The FBI confirmed the activity around Bolton’s home but didn’t identify the target of the investigation before declining further comment.

“The FBI is conducting court authorized activity in the area,” the agency said in a statement. “There is no threat to public safety.”

John Bolton recently described Trump’s second term as ‘a retribution presidency’

Former Trump national security advisor John Bolton said Aug. 10 that he was worried about President Donald Trump’s vow to get revenge against him and other outspoken critics, describing Trump’s second term as “a retribution presidency.”

Trump was asked by ABC News’ Jonathan Karl ABC News “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” about what Karl described as “Trump’s retribution campaign we’re seeing at the FBI and the Justice Department.”

“You’re obviously on his enemies list. At least Kash Patel’s enemies list,” Karl said in reference to Trump’s FBI director. “Are you worried that they’re going to come after you in some way? I mean, he’s hinted at it before.”

“Well, I think he’s already come after me and several others in withdrawing the protection that we had for … the Iranians for the attack on Qasem Suleimani,” Bolton said. “So I think, and I said in the new forward to the paperback edition of my book, I think it is a retribution presidency.”

–Josh Meyer

FBI search ‘an obvious act of intimidation,’ says former Obama White House ethics czar

Former White House ethics czar Norm Eisen called the FBI action “an obvious act of intimidation,” and another example of the double standards President Donald Trump is applying “as he puts himself and his cronies above the law, and weaponizes it against his perceived enemies.”

Eisen, executive chair of Democracy Defenders Fund and a former Obama administration ethics lawyer, said in a statement that the FBI action in “raiding the home of a high- profile critic in this way is an attack on the fundamental American right to disagree with the government.”

“If this President, who tramples on the Constitution and laws every day, is willing to abuse his power to go after his own former National Security Adviser, he can do it to anyone,” Eisen said in the statement co-written with Susan Corke, executive director of Democracy Defenders Fund.

“As prominent Republicans pointed out this morning, when the FBI searched Mar-a-Lago under the Biden Administration, it negotiated with President Trump’s team for a year beforehand,” Eisen and Corke wrote. “And his possession of those documents was defended by none other than his current FBI Director Kash Patel.”

–Josh Meyer

FBI search may be “a lawful search, but still completely unwarranted,’ former DOJ official says

Former senior Justice Department prosecutor Andrew Weissmann said the FBI action at John Bolton’s residence may be “a lawful search” but expressed concern that President Donald Trump is trying to equate it to the court-ordered search of his Mar-a-Lago residence in August 2022.

The Mar-a-Lago search warrant to find classified documents Trump took with him when leaving office in January 2021 “was necessary after repeated attempts verbally and through a subpoena to obtain the thousands of government documents being kept there,” said Weissmann, a lead prosecutor in Robert Mueller’s special counsel investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

“Only when that failed, was a search warrant required to be obtained and executed. So key issues will be what notice was given to Bolton, if any (my surmise is none at all), and the volume of alleged documents (if any),” Weissmann wrote on Substack.

“This may be, at the end of the day, a lawful search, but still completely unwarranted and inappropriate government activity,” Weissmann, a frequent critic of Trump, wrote. “Right now, we do not know enough facts, but I would worry about those who make it seem like this is just doing what the DOJ did with respect to the Trump compound in FLA.”

–Josh Meyer

Trump calls Bolton ‘lowlife’ but knows little about FBI search

Trump told reporters Aug. 22 that he knew little about the FBI searching Bolton’s home but that he is a “lowlife.” He said the Justice Department would probably brief him on the search.

“I’m not a fan of John Bolton,” Trump told reporters at The People’s House museum near the White House. “He’s a real, sort of a lowlife.”

Journalist livestreaming FBI Bolton raid, calls it ‘theatrical.’ ‘Doing it this way allows lots of pictures.’

Journalists and neighbors are lined up outside John Bolton’s home in Bethesda to watch – and livestream — the FBI search of the Trump critic’s home. One of them is Benjamin Wittes, the editor in chief of Lawfare, which has been critical of the Trump administration Justice Department.

Wittes was using his cameraphone and Substack journalism platform to livestream the action, available here.

Wittes “has been chronicling Trump’s acts of retribution on a near-daily basis,” according to CNN, which reported on Wittes’ livestream, calling the FBI action “theatrical” and noting that “doing it this way allows lots of pictures.”

–Josh Meyer

Attorney General Pam Bondi: ‘Justice will be pursued’

The Justice Department didn’t immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment on the investigation into Bolton. However, the department’s head, Attorney General Pam Bondi, re-posted FBI Director Kash Patel’s morning statement on X that “NO ONE is above the law.” Above that post, Bondi included a message of her own.

“America’s safety isn’t negotiable. Justice will be pursued. Always,” Bondi said above Patel’s message. She didn’t clarify what she was referring to.

– Aysha Bagchi

Bolton lawyer has claimed in the past his 2020 memoir contained no classified information despite White House claims

Charles Cooper, a lawyer who has represented Bolton in the past, was unavailable for comment on Aug. 22, a Cooper aide said.

But in 2020, when in news broke of Bolton’s forthcoming book, “The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir,” Cooper defended it against Trump White House accusations that it contained top-secret information.

“We do not believe that any of that information could reasonably be considered classified,” Cooper wrote in a letter to the White House, Axios reported at the time.

The White House had made public a Jan. 23, 2020, letter addressed to Cooper that claimed Bolton’s manuscript contains “significant amounts of classified information” that could “cause exceptionally grave harm” to U.S. national security, Axios said.

–Josh Meyer

Bolton faces ‘serious legal risk’ over book, but timing of search appears ‘vindictive’: expert

Mark Zaid, a national security lawyer who represents whistleblowers against the government, said in a social media post Aug. 22 that “there is serious legal risk for Bolton” from the dispute over his book.“But timing of this raid is highly – and I mean highly – suspicious,” Zaid said. “Looks like retaliatory, vindictive behavior.”–Bart Jansen

Trump administration has accused Bolton of using classified info in book

The Justice Department during Trump’s first term filed a federal lawsuit and started a criminal investigation into Bolton over allegations that the book, “The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir,” contained classified information.

“The United States seeks an order requiring Defendant to abide by his contractual and fiduciary duties to complete the pre-publication review process and not disclose classified information without written authorization, thereby protecting the national security of the United States,” according to the filing.

Bolton’s attorney, Chuck Cooper, called the lawsuit “a transparent attempt to use national security as a pretext to censor” Bolton.

A judge rejected the lawsuit’s request to block the book and the Justice Department dropped both the lawsuit and the criminal inquiry during the Biden administration.

The lawsuit filed in June 2020 alleged that Ellen Knight, the senior director for records access at the National Security Council, found “significant amounts of classified information” including some classified as “TOP SECRET,” in the $2 million book while reviewing it for publication.

But the lawsuit alleged that Bolton was frustrated with the pace of the review and chose to publish before waiting for it to be completed, despite having signed classified nondisclosure agreements.

Bolton had been targeted in Iranian assassination plot

Trump canceled Bolton’s security detail despite the discovery of an Iranian plot to kill him. A member of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Shahram Poursafi, was charged in 2022 in a murder-for-hire plot targeting Bolton.The plot was in retaliation for a U.S. drone strike that killed Iran commander Qasem Soleimani in 2020 in Baghdad, according to Justice Department officials.

FBI Director Kash Patel: ‘NO ONE is above the law’

“NO ONE is above the law,” Patel said in a social media post Aug. 22 after the search began. “@FBI agents on mission.”

Bolton didn’t mention the search in a social media post Aug. 22 but said he didn’t see “any progress” in Trump leading peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.

“Meanwhile, meetings will continue because Trump wants a Nobel Peace Prize, but I don’t see these talks making any progress,” Bolton said.

Bolton, a Trump critic, had said Putin ‘clearly won’ summit with Trump

Earlier, Bolton had told CNN after Trump met with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin on Aug. 15 that Putin “clearly won” the summit in Alaska.

“It’s far from over, but I’d say Putin achieved most of what he wanted,” Bolton said. “Trump achieved very little.”

Former FBI deputy director calls search ‘really stunning’ on CNN

Andrew McCabe, a former deputy director FBI, told CNN on Aug. 22 the search was “really stunning.” McCabe said there were reasons to look at the search “with a jaundiced eye” because of what might have motivated the search warrant.

“I don’t think many people saw this one coming,” McCabe said. “There is this very fraught relationship between the two, and the President’s history of going after people, using the level, the levers of power that he has access to, particularly the Department of Justice, to go after people he doesn’t like.”

Summary Bolton property searched as part of national security probe

Trump’s former national security has turned into a prominent critic

Trump previously stripped Bolton of protective Secret Service detail

WASHINGTON, Aug 22 (Reuters) – FBI agents searched the home of John Bolton, a former adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump turned persistent critic, on Friday in what a source familiar with the matter said was part of a national security probe.

The investigation is focused on the potential criminal release of classified information, the source added. An FBI spokesperson confirmed “court authorized activity” in the area of Bolton’s home in the Washington suburb of Bethesda, Maryland

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An FBI spokesperson has also confirmed law enforcement activity at Bolton’s Washington D.C. office.

Bolton, who served as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and as the White House national security adviser during Trump’s first term in office, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. CNN reported that he said he was unaware of the law enforcement activity and was looking into it further.

Bolton has called Trump unfit for office

The search marks the latest instance of the Trump administration moving to wield the levers of government power against Trump’s perceived enemies since taking office in January.

Trump has long complained that the Justice Department was wrongly used against him during his four years out of office, when he faced two federal criminal prosecutions for attempting to overturn his 2020 election defeat and for retaining classified documents after leaving the White House. The special counsel behind those cases dropped them after Trump’s election, citing Justice Department policy against prosecuting a sitting president.

Democratic former President Joe Biden also faced a federal investigation for mishandling classified documents, though the special counsel in that case declined to bring charges, saying Biden would have been hard to convict.

A federal magistrate judge would have to approve a search warrant, indicating that there is “at least some objective and legitimate” evidence of a potential crime, according to Bradley Moss, an attorney who specializes in national security.

“This is going to be political no matter what. This is a frequent, very public critic of the president,” Moss said. “The question is, did he actually do something that warrants and justifies this or is this pure political retribution?”

Item 1 of 5 FBI agents carry boxes as they exit the building that houses the Washington office of former National Security Adviser John Bolton, in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 22, 2025. REUTERS/Aaron Schwartz [1/5] FBI agents carry boxes as they exit the building that houses the Washington office of former National Security Adviser John Bolton, in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 22, 2025. REUTERS/Aaron Schwartz Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab

When asked about the raid, Trump said on Friday, “No, I don’t know about it. I saw it on television this morning. I’m not a fan of John Bolton. He’s a real sort of a low life.

“He could be a very unpatriotic guy. We’re going to find out.”

EARLY MORNING SEARCH

FBI agents began searching the house at 7 a.m. as part of a probe ordered by FBI Director Kash Patel, according to the New York Post. An investigation does not necessarily lead to criminal charges.

“NO ONE is above the law… @FBI agents on mission,” Patel wrote, without mentioning Bolton, in an X post shortly after 7 a.m.

Reuters video footage from the scene showed multiple people in FBI jackets walking in and out the front door of the home.

The Justice Department during Trump’s first term sued Bolton and started a criminal investigation into him over allegations his 2020 book, “The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir,” contained classified information. The book painted a scathing picture of Trump’s first administration.

A judge rejected the administration’s bid to block publication of the book in 2020. Both the criminal investigation and lawsuit were dropped in 2021 during the Biden administration.

Bolton denied the allegations and accused White House officials of acting improperly to block a critical account.

The president previously stripped Bolton of protective Secret Service detail that had been assigned after the U.S. Justice Department said Iran had threatened his life.

Bolton has continued his criticism of Trump since he returned to office. After Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last week, Bolton told CNN that Putin “clearly won” the summit and while Trump “did not lose” he looked “very tired” and there was no meaningful progress on ending the war in Ukraine.

Bolton has also been critical of Patel, the Trump-nominated FBI director, telling NBC’s “Meet The Press” in December that the Senate should reject his nomination “100-0.” Patel was later confirmed.

Reporting by Steve Holland and Andrew Goudsward in Washington and Brendan O’Brien in Chicago; Additional reporting by Katharine Jackson and Susan Heavey; Editing by Scott Malone and Mark Porter

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“I think Chicago will be our next,” he said. “And then we’ll help with New York.” Trump said people in Chicago are “screaming for us to come.”

President Trump said Friday that Chicago could receive similar treatment from the federal government as Washington, D.C., where nearly 2,000 National Guard troops have been deployed to quell what the president’s administration has characterized as an influx in dangerous crime.

Trump says he called for Intel’s CEO to quit because of Tom Cotton — 2:07 p.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

The president said he called earlier this month for Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan to resign after reading something written by Arkansas Republican senator.

Trump didn’t clarify what he was referring to but said that after he met with Tan, he liked him and felt he was “somewhat a victim.”

He backed off his calls for his resignation after Tan professed his allegiance to the US in a public letter and met with Trump.

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Trump repeatedly threatens D.C. Mayor Bowser — 2:01 p.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

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Muriel Bowser generally avoids directly criticizing Trump. Even when she is being harshly critical of Trump’s decisions — publicly stating that his declaration of a federal crime emergency in Washington “makes no sense” — Bowser sometimes seems to structure her statements so as to avoid actually saying Trump’s name.

Trump, meanwhile, seems to be escalating his attacks on Bowser.

In a 2 a.m. Friday social media post, Trump wrote, “Mayor Muriel Bowser must immediately stop giving false and highly inaccurate crime figures, or bad things will happen, including a complete and total Federal takeover of the City!”

Hours later in the Oval Office, Trump told reporters, “Mayor Bowser better get her act straight or she won’t be mayor for long.”

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District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser speaks during a news conference at the opening of a new housing shelter for homeless adults in Washington, Thursday, August. 21, 2025. Jose Luis Magana/Associated Press

Local D.C. government leaders bristle at armed National Guard members — 1:54 p.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

Some members of local government have bristled at the Defense Department’s order to arm National Members.

“Trump is once again putting armed military onto the streets of an American city. These are the actions not of a president, but of someone on the march to an authoritarian takeover,” District of Columbia Council Member Charles Allen said in a statement.

As a federal district, the local government’s powers are broadly delegated to it Congress, leaving local officials few avenues to formally block or protest Trump’s plan.

Members of local government have been walking a tightrope of engaging with constituents’ concerns without further antagonizing the administration.

City Council Chair Phil Mendelson wrote on social media that he’d discussed “the affects of the so-called crime emergency,” among other topics, with Washington residents at a town hall last night. Council Member Brianne Nadeau posted a link to report police misconduct to city officials shortly after the Pentagon’s announcement.

Trump displays Putin picture — 1:53 p.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

During his event about FIFA, Trump unexpectedly pulled out a photo of him standing next to Putin during their meeting in Alaska.

Trump said Putin sent the picture and “I’m going to sign this for him.” He added that Putin has “very respectful of me and my country, and not so respectful of others.”

Putin invaded Ukraine more than three years ago, and Trump has been frustrated by his inability to resolve the war.

Speaking of FIFA, Trump suggested that the Russian leader wants to attend the soccer competition in the U.S.

“He may be coming and he may not, depending on what happens,” he said.

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Referring to the photo, Trump said, “I thought it was a nice picture of him. OK, of me, but nice of him.”

Certain applicants targeted by pause on visas for commercial truck drivers — 1:49 p.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

After Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a pause in providing US visas to commercial truck drivers, the Trump administration says it applies to certain foreign applicants.

The State Department said Friday that the pause affects those seeking permission to drive a truck under visas for H-2B temporary nonagricultural workers, E-2 investors in US businesses or EB-3 skilled workers.

It said the government is launching a review of the way it screens foreign drivers and that “enhanced vetting” will apply to those who don’t now hold valid visas.

“Applicants must demonstrate the necessary skills, experience, and English language proficiency required to safely operate these vehicles on America’s roads,” the department said.

Trump touches World Cup trophy — 1:33 p.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

Touching the World Cup trophy is an honor usually reserved for countries that win it. But organizers of the 2026 World Cup have made an exception for Trump.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino visited the Oval Office on Friday and noted of the trophy, “Only the FIFA presidents, presidents of countries, and then those who win can touch it because it’s for winners only.”Then, he added to Trump, “And, since you are a winner, of course you can as well.”

The president did just that, then responded, “It’s pretty heavy.”

He later called the trophy “a beautiful piece of gold” and joked about keeping it and displaying in the Oval Office — which Trump has redone in a gaudy, gold-hued décor.

Trump was subsequently presented with a ticket to next year’s World Cup final, which organizers said was the first ticket available for the upcoming tournament.

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President Trump holds the FIFA World Cup Winners Trophy as FIFA President Gianni Infantino, right, and Vice President JD Vance watch, during an announcement in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, Aug. 22, 2025, in Washington. Jacquelyn Martin/Associated Press

Men in the Oval Office forgo ties — 1:30 p.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

Trump usually wears a tie in the Oval Office, as do top aides and other officials who visit.

But in an unusual move, not only did Trump not wear a tie but none of the men standing around him did either.

Bare collars were also sported by Vice President JD Vance, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Kennedy Center interim head Richard Grenell and Andrew Giuliani, who is heading up the president’s FIFA task force.It wasn’t clear why they wore the unified look.

President Trump, from right, speaks as Vice President JD Vance and Richard Grenell, president of the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees, listen during an announcement in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, Aug. 22, 2025, in Washington. Jacquelyn Martin/Associated Press

Trump says Chicago and New York could be his next targets — 1:29 p.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

The president suggested that other cities will receive similar treatment to D.C.

“I think Chicago will be our next,” he said. “And then we’ll help with New York.”

Trump said people in Chicago are “screaming for us to come.”

Vance says Bolton not being targeted because of his criticism of Trump — 1:29 p.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

Vice President JD Vance says it’s not the case that the Trump administration is targeting former national security adviser John Bolton because he’s a vocal critic of President Donald Trump.

The FBI on Friday searched the home and office of Bolton, who served in the first Trump administration, as part of a criminal investigation into the potential mishandling of classified information.

Vance said in an interview with NBC News’s “Meet the Press” that the investigation was in its early stages. He said the inquiry centers in part on classified documents as well as what he said was a “broad concern” about Bolton. He said if no crime is found during the investigation, no prosecution will be brought, but that if a crime is found “Ambassador Bolton will get his day in court.”

He said “no, not at all” when asked if Bolton was being pursued because of his criticism of Trump and, that if that were the case, “we would just throw out prosecutions willy-nilly.”

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President Trump speaks as Vice President JD Vance listens in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, Aug. 22, 2025, in Washington. Jacquelyn Martin/Associated Press

Trump makes FIFA announcement — 1:20 p.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

Speaking from the Oval Office alongside FIFA head Gianni Infantino, the president said the FIFA draw would take place at the Kennedy Center on Dec. 5.

Trump has made the Kennedy Center a focal point for his efforts to remake Washington, visiting it earlier in the day and talking extensively about renovations to the building. He referred to it as the “Trump-Kennedy Center.”

ESPN had previously reported that the draw would be held in Las Vegas.

President Trump makes an announcement from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 22, 2025 ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images

Trump administration says George Mason University illegally used race in hiring and policies — 1:19 p.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

The Education Department’s Office of Civil Rights issued the finding against the public university in Virginia.

The department says the university must review its policies, conduct annual trainings and issue a statement that includes a personal apology from the president. It directs the university to comply within 10 days. University officials did not respond immediately to an email request for comment on Friday.

The federal investigation follows a complaint by multiple professors accusing the university of favoring faculty candidates based on diversity considerations rather than their credentials.

Trump’s second term has often tested GOP loyalty. His National Guard request is the starkest example yet. — 12:50 p.m. Link copied

By James Pindell and Sam Brodey, Globe Staff

Call it the latest example of Republicans asking not what President Trump can do for them but what they can do for President Trump.

The decision by six Republican governors to send hundreds of their state’s National Guard members to aid in Trump’s call for a military surge to patrol the nation’s capital has been infused with politics.

A hallmark of Trump’s second term has been that many of his most high-profile initiatives have doubled as opportunities to test the loyalty of Republican leaders around the country. His request that governors deploy their National Guard to Washington is one of the starkest, and the most recent, illustration of that dynamic.

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The governors of Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, West Virginia, South Carolina, and Ohio have all, so far, agreed to send troops to D.C.

President Trump speaks with members of law enforcement and National Guard soldiers, Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025, in Washington. Jacquelyn Martin/Associated Press

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Trump asks for $2 billion for D.C. from the same Congress that took $1 billion from city budget — 12:15 p.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

President Trump’s announcement Friday that he would seek $2 billion from Congress to beautify Washington D.C. will likely be received with ironic eyerolls from the local government. Mayor Muriel Bowser and the D.C. Council have spent most of 2025 (prior to the current federal takeover crisis) dealing with an artificial budget crisis created by this Congress.

An obscure change in a federal government funding bill forced the district’s government to revert to its 2024 budget parameters, effectively cutting $1.1 billion from its previously balanced budget midway through the financial year.

The Senate approved the funding bill with the cut but immediately followed up with a separate bill that would make the district’s budget whole again. That bill has languished in the House of Representatives for months while Bowser was forced to make drastic moves to avoid layoffs. The hard feelings over the issue remain intense.

Canada will match US exemptions to punishing tariffs, Canadian official says — 12:01 p.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

Canada is dropping retaliatory tariffs to match U.S. tariff exemptions for goods covered under the United States-Mexico-Canada trade pact, a government official familiar with the matter said Friday.

The official said Canada will include the carve-out that the US has on Canadian goods under the 2020 free trade deal that shields the vast majority of goods from the punishing duties.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly ahead of the expected announcement by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Trump says he’ll be leading more White House renovations — 11:54 a.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

“We’re doing some very detailed renovations, fixing things are broken. Fixing floors that are cracked up and not good anymore, and in many cases, they were done in the 50s and 60s and 70s,” Trump told reporters Friday. “We’ll be doing the Lincoln Bathroom which was Art Deco.”

He said of the project, “We’re making it actually incredible.”

According to the White House, the refurbishing of the Lincoln Bedroom and the adjoining sitting room — which featured strong period decor derived and adapted from the historical evidence of the Lincoln era — was completed in November 2005.

Trump suggested the Lincoln Bathroom work could “be done in about a week, two weeks” and said he was considering “doing something on the Executive Office Building” across the street from the White House saying it’d be “all cosmetic.”

Trump has already made extensive changes to the White House, including installing patio seating around the Rose Garden and promising to build a ballroom.

President Trump speaks to the media wearing a hat that reads, “Trump Was Right About Everything!,” during a visit to The People’s House: A White House Experience August 22, 2025 in Washington, D.C. Kevin Dietsch/Getty

Trump sets $2 billion price tag for beautifying D.C. — 11:45 a.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

“We’re going to be raising about $2 billion from Congress,” the president told reporters. “Congress is happy to do it.”

Trump has talked about refinishing the roads and sprucing up light poles around the capital.

“It hasn’t been clean” he said. “Now it’s going to be clean.”

Trump had a visible smear of makeup on his hand — 11:43 a.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

The president, for a while, has been covering bruising on the back of his hand with makeup that doesn’t match his skin tone.

A large spread of makeup could be seen on the back of his hand on Friday that appeared more pronounced than usual.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has said Trump’s hand bruising is “consistent” with irritation from his “frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin.”

US President Trump’s hand is seen as he speaks at “The People’s House,” a White House immersive experience across the street from the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, during a tour on August 22, 2025, in Washington, D.C. ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images

Florida conservative Joe Gruters is new RNC chairman after being handpicked by Trump — 11:39 a.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

Republican National Committee members elected Gruters on Friday at their summer meeting in Georgia. He had no opposition.

“Mr. President, thank you for your faith in me,” Gruters said after the vote.

Gruters is a Florida state lawmaker and former state party chairman who was a Trump ally even before the billionaire real estate and marketing mogul first ran for president.

Trump has tightened his grip on the RNC since his first presidential term. Gruters succeeds Michael Whatley, who stepped down to run for US Senate in North Carolina.

FILE – Florida Senator Joe Gruters watches during a legislative session April 30, 2021, at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press

More on the redistricting effort in Texas — 11:34 a.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

The Texas Senate has gaveled in for a expected vote on new congressional voting maps for the 2026 midterm elections.

Republicans hope new maps pushed by President Trump will produce five new GOP seats in a bid to hold their slim majority in the US House. Senate approval would send the maps to Republican Governor Greg Abbott to sign into law. Texas’ gerrymandering effort has triggered a ripple effect across several states. California on Thursday passed a bill to put new Democratic-leaning districts to voters in November.

Bolton search is an ‘act of intimidation,’ Trump critic says — 11:27 a.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

Norm Eisen, a former US ambassador to the Czech Republic and legal adviser to Democrats during the president’s first impeachment, says the search of Bolton’s home and office is “an obvious act of intimidation.”

“Raiding the home of a high-profile critic in this way is an attack on the fundamental American right to disagree with the government,” Eisen said in a joint statement with Susan Corke, executive director of the group Democracy Defenders Fund.

He contrasted the operation with the 2022 search on Trump’s Florida estate when the president was investigated for keeping classified documents, saying the FBI unsuccessfully negotiated with Trump for a year before executing it.

Trump makes false claims about DC homicides — 11:18 a.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

The president said his crackdown was keeping people safe, claiming it’s “the first time in anybody’s memory that you haven’t had a murder in a week” in the nation’s capital.

That’s not true, however. There were no killings for one week in July and for another week in May, according to local police statistics.

Arming National Guard members escalates Trump’s intervention into policing in DC — 11:14 a.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

And it comes as nearly 2,000 National Guard members are stationed in the city, with the arrival this week of hundreds of troops from several Republican-led states.

The Pentagon and Army said last week that troops would not carry weapons.

The city had been informed about the intent for the National Guard to be armed, a person familiar with the conversations said earlier this week. The person was not authorized to disclose the plans and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

President Trump speaks with members of law enforcement and National Guard soldiers, Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025, in Washington. Jacquelyn Martin/Associated Press

Trump says he’ll keep extended TikTok shutdown deadline — 11:10 a.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

The president called national security and privacy concerns related to TikTok and its Chinese parent company “highly overrated.”

“I used TikTok in the campaign,” Trump told reporters.

“I’m a fan of TikTok,” he said. “My kids like TikTok. Young people love TikTok. If we could keep it going.”

His comments follow the White House starting a TikTok account this week.

Congress approved a US ban on TikTok unless its parent company, ByteDance, sold its controlling stake. But Trump has extended the platform’s shutdown deadline repeatedly since taking office for his second term.

“We’re gonna watch the security concerns” Trump said, but added “We have buyers, American-buyers” and “until the complexity of things work out, we just extend a little bit longer.”

Trump says he’s the ‘chief law enforcement officer’ — 11:08 a.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

And, speaking about the Bolton raids, said he “could be the one starting it” if he chose.

The president, in his comments to reporters at the White House Historical Association, said he’s told Attorney General Pam Bondi to “do what you have to do” and that he doesn’t want to know about their work, but suggested he could be much more involved if he chose, saying, “I could know about it. I could be the one starting it.”

“I’m actually the chief law enforcement officer,” he said. “But I feel that it’s better this way.”

Trump says he’d ‘rather not’ be part of a Putin-Zelensky meeting — 11:07 a.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

“We’re going to see if Putin and Zelensky will be working together. It’s like oil and vinegar a little bit. They don’t get along too well for obvious reasons. But we’ll see,” Trump told reporters. “And we’ll see whether or not I would have to be there. I’d rather not, I’d rather them have a meeting and see how they can do.”

Trump has previously suggested that the White House is working to facilitate a Putin-Zelensky meeting in the short term, and that a subsequent, trilateral meeting involving those two leaders and Trump would likely come next.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky gives a press conference following his meeting with Secretary General of NATO in Kyiv on August 22, 2025, amid Russian invasion of Ukraine. SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP via Getty Images

Trump threatens to fire Federal Reserve official over alleged mortgage fraud — 11:06 a.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

Fed Governor Lisa Cook is under fire from Trump after an administration official alleged Wednesday that she’d falsely claimed two homes as primary residences in 2021. Primary residences often receive lower mortgage rates than homes purchased for rent or as second homes.

“I’ll fire her if she doesn’t resign.” Trump said Friday. His comment came as Cook is attending the Fed’s annual economic symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, with Chair Jerome Powell.

Trump has relentlessly demanded that the Fed cut its key interest rate, which he’s said would reduce interest rate costs on the government’s massive $37 trillion debt pile as well as boost the housing market.

If Trump is able to oust Cook, he could install a loyalist and extend greater control over the Fed, traditionally independent from day-to-day politics. The president can’t fire a Fed governor over a disagreement on rates, but can “for cause,” which typically means malfeasance or neglect of duty.

National Guard members on D.C. streets for Trump’s crackdown will soon be armed, military says — 10:56 a.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered that National Guard troops patrolling the streets of Washington for President Trump’s crackdown will be armed, the Pentagon said Friday.

The Defense Department didn’t immediately offer any other details about the new development.

Trump arrives at Kennedy Center, which he says he’s going to renovate — 10:50 a.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

The president, making a stop that wasn’t on his public schedule, arrived at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He told reporters at an earlier stop that he planned to show them marble that would be used in sprucing up the center, along with other planned renovations such as painting the columns from gold to white.

Trump has taken over the center by installing himself as chair and replacing the board of trustees with loyalists. He has also hinted he’d like to see the venue renamed the Trump/Kennedy Center.

Trump said he didn’t know about Bolton raid but says former adviser ‘could be a very unpatriotic guy’ — 10:49 a.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

The president, speaking to reporters during an unscheduled visit to the White House Historical Association, said he saw the raid of Bolton’s home on television Friday morning but he didn’t know anything about it.

“He is a, not a smart guy. But he could be very a very unpatriotic guy. We’re going to find out.”

He said he expected to be briefed later in the day about the search of Bolton’s home and office.

“I’m not a fan of John Bolton. He’s a real, sort of, a lowlife,” he said.

Former national security adviser John Bolton. Alex Edelman/Photographer: Alex Edelman/Bloom

Powell signals Fed may cut rates soon even as inflation risks remain — 10:08 a.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Friday opened the door ever so slightly to lowering a key interest rate in the coming months but gave no hint on the timing of a move and suggested the central bank will proceed cautiously as it continues to evaluate the impact of tariffs and other policies on the economy.

In a high-profile speech that will be closely watched at the White House and on Wall Street, Powell said there are risks of both rising unemployment and stubbornly higher inflation. That puts the Fed in a tough spot, because it would typically cut its short-term rate to boost hiring, while keeping it high — or raising it — to fight inflation.

“The stability of the unemployment rate and other labor market measures allows us to proceed carefully as we consider changes to our policy stance,” Powell said in prepared remarks. That suggests the Fed will continue to evaluate jobs and inflation data as it decides whether to cut rates, including at its next meeting Sept. 16-17.

FBI agents were seen entering Bolton’s office in Washington — 9:46 a.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

FBI agents walk inside the back entrance of the Washington office of ex-Trump national security adviser John Bolton. Julia Demaree Nikhinson/Associated Press

Trump threatens to tighten grip on DC — 9:17 a.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

In an overnight social media post, Trump said he was considering “a complete and total Federal takeover of the City!”

He’s already seized control of the local police department for 30 days, which could be extended with congressional approval.

Trump has claimed the city is in the midst of a crime crisis despite statistics showing a declining problem. The US attorney in Washington has opened an investigation into the numbers, the latest pressure point in a tug of war between the administration and D.C. government.

“Mayor Muriel Bowser must immediately stop giving false and highly inaccurate crime figures, or bad things will happen,” the president wrote.

At Bolton’s home as the FBI search is underway — 9:09 a.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

FBI agents speak with tenants at the entrance of John Bolton’s house in Bethesda, Maryland. PEDRO UGARTE/AFP via Getty Images

A few local police cars were stationed across the street from Bolton’s house outside Washington as FBI agents passed in and out. The tan-and-brick structure is set back from a two-lane road on a leafy suburban street.

Reporters and curious neighbors gathered across the street, including a man who gave only his first name as David. He said it appears Bolton is being targeted because of his disagreement with the Trump, a “frightening” prospect.

The crowd grew to include prominent Trump critic George Conway as passing cars slowed near the scene. One driver shouted “shame on you!”

An Iranian operative was charged with plotting to kill Bolton in 2022 — 8:57 a.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

The plot was in presumed retaliation for a January 2020 US 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 — 8:56 a.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

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 — 8:55 a.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

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 — 8:53 a.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

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 — 8:52 a.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

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. Bolton left a few minutes later and appeared to have gone upstairs in the building.

Roger Stone: ‘How does it feel?’ — 8:20 a.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

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 — 8:16 a.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

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 — 8:15 a.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

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.

Bolton’s security clearance was revoked in January — 8:13 a.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

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 — 8:08 a.m. Link copied

By the Associated Press

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.