Federal Bureau of Investigation agents seized multiple electronics, documents and storage devices from former national security adviser John Bolton’s home and office during court-authorized searches on Aug. 22, according to a warrant and inventory released by the Justice Department.
The warrant, made public Thursday, shows authorities took two iPhones; a white binder labeled “statements and reflections to allied strikes;” typed documents in folders labeled “Trump I – IV;” four boxes marked as “printed daily activities;” one external hard drive; two Sandisk USB drives; and three Dell computers. The inventory identifies Bolton as the subject of an investigation involving the release of classified information and cites potential violations of 18 U.S.C. § 793, which prohibits gathering, transmitting or losing defense information, and 18 U.S.C. § 1924, which forbids unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents or material.
The searches targeted both Bolton’s residence in Bethesda, Maryland, and a separate office location, the warrant shows. Agents executed the court-authorized searches late last month and cataloged items taken in an inventory submitted to the court. The Justice Department released the documents to the public as part of court filings Thursday.
The inventory's description of materials includes a mix of electronic devices and printed records, and it identifies certain folders and binders by the labels found on them. The warrant alleges the materials could be relevant to potential violations of the statutes cited and sought authority to seize items that might contain classified information or evidence of unlawful retention or transmission of defense-related materials.
Bolton served as national security adviser to former President Donald Trump. The warrant's release does not itself allege criminal guilt; it shows the legal basis prosecutors used to obtain permission to search and seize materials they believed could be relevant to an ongoing investigation.
Justice Department officials did not immediately provide additional public comment beyond the court filings. The release of the warrant and inventory followed normal procedures in which some search records are made public after execution, subject to redactions when necessary to protect ongoing investigative interests.
The statutes cited in the warrant have been used in previous investigations involving classified materials. 18 U.S.C. § 793 addresses the handling of defense information that could harm national security if improperly disclosed, while 18 U.S.C. § 1924 focuses on the unauthorized removal and retention of classified material. The current filings outline items seized that investigators will review to determine whether they contain classified information or other evidence bearing on the inquiry.
The matter remains under investigation, and the Justice Department’s filings do not list any charges filed against Bolton as of the warrant’s public release. Further developments, including any potential charging decisions, would be handled by federal prosecutors as the review of seized materials continues.