Federal agents searched the Maryland home and Washington DC office of former national security adviser John Bolton on Friday as part of an investigation into the handling of classified material.
Bolton, who served under Donald Trump before resigning in 2019, has not been arrested or charged.
The FBI confirmed only that it was carrying out “authorised activity,” while sources told US media that classified documents were central to the inquiry.
Agents were seen removing boxes from Bolton’s Bethesda residence, where he returned later in the day but did not speak to reporters.
Bolton, a Republican foreign policy hawk and longtime Trump critic, has previously faced accusations of misusing classified information.
His 2020 memoir The Room Where It Happened drew a lawsuit from the Justice Department, which alleged he breached agreements on sensitive material. The case was dropped in 2021.
President Trump distanced himself from the raids, though he called Bolton a “sleazebag” when asked about the investigation.
Vice President JD Vance said the FBI was responding to “broad concern” about Bolton and insisted the case was not politically driven.
Attorney General Pam Bondi posted online that “justice will be pursued” and echoed FBI Director Kash Patel’s statement that “no one is above the law.”
The searches mark the latest move against a former senior Trump official who has clashed with the president.
Bolton, who once served as UN ambassador under George W Bush, has been outspoken against Trump’s foreign policy decisions, particularly on Ukraine and Russia.