FBI director says ‘no one is above the law’ amid raid on John Bolton’s home – live updates | Trump administration
FBI raids home of John Bolton, Trump’s ex-national security adviser
The FBI raided the home of Donald Trump’s former national security adviser turned critic John Bolton on Friday morning, according to reports.
The federal search of Bolton’s house in the Washington DC area was as part of an investigation involving the handling of classified documents, the Associated Press reported, citing an unnamed source.
The FBI director, Kash Patel, posted a cryptic message on X on Friday morning, saying: “NO ONE is above the law… @FBI agents on mission.”
The raid began around 7am ET and was first reported by the New York Post.
More to follow as we get it.
Key events
Trump says he wasn’t briefed on FBI raid on John Bolton’s home
The president said he wasn’t briefed on the raid on John Bolton’s home, while making an impromptu visit to the ‘People’s House’ exhibit near the White House. Sporting a ‘Trump was right about everything’ hat, the president said that he saw the news of the raid on television earlier.
“I’m not a fan of John Bolton. He’s a real sort of a low life,” Trump said. “He’s not a smart guy. But he could be a very unpatriotic. I’m going to find out.”
The president added that he expects to be briefed by the justice department later. “I tell the group I don’t want to know, but just you have to do what you have to do. I don’t want to know about it.”
Over the last couple of hours, key leaders in the justice department have co-signed FBI director Kash Patel’s minatory post on X as agents searched John Bolton’s Maryland home.
“America’s safety isn’t negotiable. Justice will be pursued. Always,” the US attorney general, Pam Bondi, wrote.
Meanwhile, Patel’s deputy, Dan Bongino, reposted the director’s comments, adding that “public corruption will not be tolerated” and continuing the cryptic messaging around the details of the raid.
Attorney general touts more than 700 arrests in DC since federal law enforcement surge
The US attorney general, Pam Bondi, said that there have been 719 arrests in DC since the federal law enforcement surge in the nation’s capital began on 7 August.
She added that 91 illegal firearms have been seized by federal agents in the same period.
Bondi said that on Thursday 21 August, federal law enforcement made 76 arrests, which included 36 by Ice agents.
Some more pictures are coming through of FBI agents carrying empty cardboard boxes into John Bolton’s home in Bethesda, Maryland.
Bolton FBI search is over classified information – report
The FBI search at John Bolton’s home in Bethesda is over whether the former national security adviser, and noted Trump adversary, kept or disclosed classified information, the New York Times is reporting.
Looking ahead today, we’ll actually hear from Donald Trump at noon ET, when he makes an announcement in the Oval Office.
On such a busy day of news, we can expect plenty of questions. We’ll bring you the latest as it gets under way.
Earlier, the Associated Press reported that after the search on Bolton’s home started, he was seen standing in the lobby of the Washington building where he keeps an office and talking to two people with “FBI” visible on their vests.
The AP also reported that Bolton left a few minutes after the conversation, and appeared to have gone upstairs in the building. Agents were seen taking bags into the office building through a back entrance.
Earlier, Benjamin Wittes – the editor of Lawfare – was livestreaming on the street near John Bolton’s house in Maryland as FBI agents conducted their search.
Wittes noted that “the statute of limitations is about to run out” – referring to the five-year time limit when it comes to prosecuting the disclosure or mishandling of classified documents (the crux of the Trump administration’s earlier lawsuit). But Wittes said it was unclear what exactly law enforcement are looking to recover, or the basis of the search warrant.
We’re now seeing some pictures of John Bolton’s wife, Gretchen, outside their Maryland home this morning as FBI agents search the property. Bolton told CNN earlier that he was not home during the raid and was unaware it was taking place.
Adam Gabbatt
The raid began at about 7am ET and was first reported by the New York Post. CNN also reported the news, saying its reporters had observed FBI officers near Bolton’s residence in Maryland and further reporting that Bolton, when reached, said he was not at home during the raid, nor was he aware of the law enforcement activity.
The FBI and Department of Justice did not immediately respond to requests from the Guardian for comment. A spokesperson for the FBI told the New York Times that agents were “conducting court-authorized activity in the area”.
Meghan Hays, who was a White House special adviser to Joe Biden, told CNN in an interview that the raid “seems extremely political, extremely petty” and said it smacks of “pure revenge” on the part of Trump and “poor use of FBI resources”.
Roger Stone, a longtime political operative who was prosecuted during the Russia investigation and later pardoned by Trump, posted on social media:
Good morning. John Bolton. How does it feel to have your home raided at 6 o’clock in the morning?
