A U.S. magistrate judge on Friday released a heavily redacted affidavit the FBI used to justify a late-August search of former national security adviser John Bolton’s Maryland home, saying more disclosure could damage an ongoing criminal investigation into classified materials.
The search warrant affidavit, filed in federal court, said there was probable cause to believe classified information and national defense information were being illegally kept at Bolton’s residence. Bolton has not been charged with a crime. The search, executed Aug. 22, resulted in the seizure of several phones, computer equipment and typed documents, according to the affidavit and court filings.
The decision to release only a redacted version came after a coalition of news organizations urged the court to unseal records related to the search, saying a "tremendous public interest" outweighed secrecy. U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Sullivan wrote that limits were necessary because the probe "involves matters of national security and highly classified materials to which the public has no right of access." More than a dozen pages of the affidavit contain partial or full redactions.
The affidavit recounts a 2020 review by a National Security Council official of a Bolton manuscript and quotes the official as telling Bolton that the draft appeared to contain "significant amounts" of classified information, including material at the top-secret level. The document also cites a communication from Ellen Knight, the NSC’s senior director for records, saying Bolton had told officials when he left government that he did not possess notes or other records from his service. Portions of the affidavit addressing an entry titled "Hack of Bolton AOL Account by Foreign Entity" are fully redacted.
Bolton, who served 17 months as national security adviser during President Donald Trump’s first term, clashed with the president over Iran, Afghanistan and North Korea and was fired in 2019. He later published a 2020 book, "The Room Where it Happened," which officials and the affidavit say prompted concerns about the presence of classified material in his manuscript.
Bolton’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, said in court papers that Bolton retained ordinary records reflecting a 40-year government career and has not been charged. Lowell has previously characterized Justice Department actions as being "under pressure to satisfy a president out for political revenge," a contention the department disputes.
The magistrate’s release of the redacted affidavit leaves key investigative details under seal. Prosecutors and the FBI have declined to comment beyond court filings. The matter remains an active federal investigation, and the limited disclosure clarified the court’s view that full public access to evidence touching national security would harm investigative and classification interests.