FBI Seizes Devices, Files in John Bolton Classified Probe/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The FBI seized phones, computers, and documents from former national security adviser John Bolton’s home and office as part of a classified information probe. Newly unsealed court records show items labeled “Trump I-IV” and sensitive binders among materials taken. Bolton denies wrongdoing, with his lawyer calling the search political revenge driven by President Trump.
FBI Bolton Search Quick Looks
- FBI searched Bolton’s Maryland home and D.C. office in August.
- Seized phones, computers, four boxes of daily activities, and Trump-labeled folders.
- Court cites statutes on national defense secrets and classified material handling.
- Bolton clashed with Trump as national security adviser (2018–2019).
- DOJ previously investigated his 2020 book, The Room Where It Happened.
- No charges filed in earlier inquiry; probe was closed in 2021.
- Current investigation’s origins reportedly predate Trump’s 2025 return to office.
- Lawyer Abbe Lowell calls search “political revenge.”
- Records show binder on allied strikes, statements, reflections seized.
- News organizations won court fight to unseal warrant records.
FBI Seizes Devices, Files in John Bolton Classified Probe
Deep Look
WASHINGTON (AP) — Court records unsealed Thursday revealed that the FBI seized multiple electronic devices and folders of documents from the home and office of John Bolton, President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, as part of a federal probe into possible mishandling of classified material.
What the FBI Took
The search warrant inventory lists several phones, computer equipment, four boxes of daily printed schedules, and typed folders labeled “Trump I–IV.” Also seized was a white binder marked “Statements and Reflections to Allied Strikes” along with other sensitive materials.
The investigation is based on two statutes:
- The Espionage Act provision on gathering, transmitting, or losing national defense information.
- The statute on removal and retention of classified documents without authorization.
Background of the Investigation
The FBI carried out searches in Bethesda, Maryland, and in Washington, D.C., last month. The move brought into public view a criminal inquiry that had been running quietly, reportedly before Trump returned to the White House in January 2025.
A Justice Department source, speaking anonymously, confirmed the probe involves allegations of classified material mishandling but said no charges have been filed.
Bolton’s History of Tension with Trump
Bolton served as Trump’s national security adviser for 17 months before being fired in 2019 following disagreements over Iran, Afghanistan, and North Korea policy. He has since emerged as one of Trump’s most vocal critics, particularly after publishing his 2020 memoir “The Room Where It Happened.”
The Justice Department previously investigated whether the book contained improperly disclosed classified information, but the probe—launched under Trump and continued during President Biden’s term—was closed in 2021 without charges.
Bolton’s Defense
Bolton’s attorney, Abbe David Lowell, sharply criticized the new search, calling it an effort to appease Trump’s demands.
“The materials taken from Amb. Bolton’s home are the ordinary records of a 40-year career in public service—from the State Department to the U.N. to the White House,” Lowell said. “Any thorough review will show nothing inappropriate was stored or kept.”
Public Interest and Transparency
The records were unsealed after a coalition of news organizations petitioned a Maryland judge, arguing the public had a right to know about the search. The court agreed, noting the “tremendous public interest” outweighed secrecy concerns.
The disclosures do not clarify whether new evidence emerged to revive the investigation, but they show the Justice Department remains focused on the handling of sensitive materials by senior former officials.
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