FBI searches John Bolton’s home in national security investigation
FBI agents searched John Bolton’s home as part of the Trump national security investigation led by Director Kash Patel.
John Bolton, a former national security adviser during President Donald Trump’s first term and a vocal critic of the president, was indicted on Thursday, October 16, on charges of improperly retaining national defense information.
In court filings, federal prosecutors alleged that documents obtained during a search of Mr. Bolton’s office in August included labels such as “confidential,” “confidential” and “confidential.”
After serving in the Trump administration, Bolton became a vocal critic of the administration’s foreign policy and said the president was unfit to hold office. Before the Oct. 16 indictment, President Trump had revoked Bolton’s classified details and security clearance.
Here’s what you need to know about John Bolton.
Who is John Bolton?
Yale graduate, Bolton, 76 years oldis a lawyer and diplomat who served in several Republican administrations. He promoted a neoconservative foreign policy stance.
Mr. Bolton served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush and as national security adviser to President Trump in his first administration. (It is traditional for former ambassadors to retain their titles even after leaving office.)
He has long advocated for an aggressive foreign policy for the United States and for the use of military force, including the right to strike first against potential threats. He was a strong supporter of the US invasion of Iraq in 2003 and has continued to defend his role in promoting the war in the years since.
bolton and trump
Bolton joined the Trump administration in March 2018 to replace outgoing national security adviser HR McMaster. However, Bolton resigned in September 2019, 17 months after taking the job.
In the years since Trump took office, Bolton has become a fierce critic of the president. In 2020, Bolton told USA TODAY that if Trump had been a senator, he “probably” would have convicted Trump at the real estate mogul’s first impeachment trial.
In that case, Trump was charged with abuse of power by withholding aid to Ukraine in order to pressure the government to investigate then-Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter. The Senate acquitted Trump on the charge largely along party lines.
USA TODAY’s Aisha Bagchi, Bert Jansen, Kathryn Palmer and Reuter contributed to this report.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact us at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow us at X @fern_cerv_.
