Federal agents storm residence of ex-Trump security advisor John Bolton

John Bolton, former National Security Advisor to President Donald Trump, found himself at the centre of an investigation by the FBI on August 26, 2022. Agents, led by Director Kash Patel, searched Bolton's home in Bethesda, Maryland, as part of an investigation into allegations that Bolton illegally retained and shared classified documents with his family during his White House tenure.

The raid appears to be in retaliation for Bolton's disagreement with President Trump and his public criticism. According to reports, Bolton was seen inside the lobby of a Washington building, talking to two people with "FBI" visible on their vests during the search.

Bolton served as national security adviser in President Trump's first administration for 17 months. He clashed with Trump over Iran, Afghanistan, and North Korea. The first Trump administration had unsuccessfully sought to block the publication of Bolton's book, "The Room Where It Happened," which it said contained classified information.

In his book, Bolton portrayed Trump as grossly ill-informed about foreign policy. Trump responded by calling Bolton a "crazy" war-monger who would have led the country into "World War Six."

President Trump described Bolton as "not a smart guy" and "a very unpatriotic guy." However, Trump said he saw the raid on Bolton's home on television but did not know anything about it.

The Justice Department in 2021 abandoned its lawsuit and dropped a separate grand jury investigation regarding Bolton's book. In a twist, Bolton's lawyers have claimed that the manuscript of his book no longer contained classified information.

Messages left with Bolton's spokesperson and a lawyer representing him were not immediately returned. The crowd at the scene included George Conway, a prominent Trump critic, and longtime political adviser Roger Stone, who was gleeful on social media about the raid.

President Trump is scheduled to make an "announcement" at noon ET in the Oval Office, but the topic is unclear. Meanwhile, the FBI continues its investigation into the handling of classified documents at Bolton's Maryland home.

Elsewhere, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell opened the door to lowering a key interest rate in the coming months, but gave no hint on the timing of a move. The White House Historical Association, where President Trump made a surprise visit, has a gift shop and a replica of the Oval Office.

The search of Bolton's home and office is expected to be briefed to President Trump. FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi posted on social media about the raid, expressing support for the FBI's actions. The investigation into Bolton's handling of classified documents is a developing story and will continue to unfold in the days ahead.