Fox News Analyst Says John Bolton’s ‘Tell-All’ Memoir Led To FBI Raid
Fox News analyst Gregg Jarrett suggests Bolton’s memoir put him in serious legal trouble; the raid comes amid a public feud between Bolton and the administration.
The FBI on Friday morning raided the Maryland home of John Bolton, President Trump’s former national security adviser, in a high-profile national security probe involving classified documents. According to Fox News legal analyst Gregg Jarrett, the raid stems from Bolton’s decision to publish a tell-all memoir without full government approval, which he says could land Bolton in serious legal trouble.
In an appearance on “The Evening Edit,” Jarrett said the legal peril for Bolton extends beyond his book, The Room Where It Happened. He suggested that federal agents likely had probable cause to believe Bolton either improperly stored classified documents or shared sensitive information with unauthorized individuals.
“Even if a sanitized version of his book was released, he’s still in jeopardy in two other ways,” Jarrett said. “Because if he kept classified documents in his home or in his office, that’s a crime. And if he leaked information that he had in his head to somebody who was unauthorized, that also is a crime.”
A federal judge had previously warned Bolton that he had “gambled with the national security of the United States” by releasing his memoir without final government approval, exposing himself to potential civil and criminal liability.
The Justice Department under the Biden administration had closed its criminal investigation into the matter, leading Bolton to declare at the time, “This is a complete vindication.”
The raid was reportedly ordered by FBI Director Kash Patel, who has publicly criticized Bolton.
In a cryptic post on X, Patel wrote, “NO ONE is above the law. FBI agents on mission,” without directly referencing the situation. The raid marks a dramatic new chapter in the contentious relationship between the former president and his onetime aide, whom he has publicly derided as a “traitor.”
The raid also adds another layer to Bolton’s complex personal security situation, as he has faced death threats from Iran and was the subject of an alleged assassination plot in 2022. Bolton was not detained or charged with any crimes during the raid, according to the Associated Press. He told CNN he was unaware of the FBI activity at his residence.
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