What We Know About the John Bolton Searches

FBI agents searched the Maryland home and the DC office of John Bolton on Friday, but the former national security adviser remained free as of Friday afternoon and no charges have been announced. Coverage:

• It's classified: Authorities have not revealed the purpose of the searches, but the Washington Post and virtually every other outlet is reporting that it relates to an investigation about the handling of classified information. The New York Times is a bit more specific, quoting sources who say the feds are looking into whether Bolton leaked classified info to the press as part of a campaign to discredit President Trump.

• Trump: The president told reporters Friday he was not informed of the raids in advance. "I know nothing about it," he said, per the New York Post. "I tell [Attorney General] Pam [Bondi] and I tell the group: 'I don't want to know, but you have to do what you have to do. I don't want to know about it.'" He added that he could know about it, if he wished. "I'm actually the chief law enforcement officer. But I feel that it's better this way."
• The feud: Trump also called Bolton a "low life," and Fox News details their bitter relationship. Though Bolton served under Trump, he has since become an outspoken critic, including in a book in which he called Trump "stunningly uninformed."
• Bolton prediction: In recent interviews, he has talked about the possibility of retribution. "Anybody who ever disagrees with Trump has to worry about retribution. It's a pretty long list," he said, per the AP. "It's been a long time since people used to talk about Richard Nixon's enemies list. But that seems to be Trump's approach. And so it's uncharted territory in many respects." Trump's camp, however, points out that Trump himself was the target of similar raids by federal agents under then-President Biden.