FBI took iPhones, folders and USB drives in raid on John Bolton’s home

Federal agents took documents, iPhones, USB drives and other electronic devices during their surprise raid of Donald Trump’s former national security adviser John Bolton’s home last month.

In newly released court documents on Thursday, federal investigators noted the inventory of the items seized from Bolton’s home.

They wrote: “1 red iPhone with 2 camera lenses, 1 black iPhone in a black case, a white binder labeled ‘Statements and Reflections to Allied Strikes…’, typed documents in folders labeled ‘Trump I-IV’, 4 boxes containing printed daily activities, 1 hard drive Seagate brand, 1 Dell Precision Tower computer 3620, 1 Sandisk 64 GB USB drive, 1 Sandisk 64 GB USB drive, 1 Silver Dell XPS laptop w/ cables, 1 Silver Dell Inspiron 2330 computer.”

According to the documents, the basis for the search was “evidence of a crime”, “contraband, fruits of crime, or other items illegally possessed”, as well as “property designed for use, intended for use, or used in committing a crime”.

“The target is unaware of the investigation and if they became aware, may flee or take steps to destroy or conceal the evidence sought pursuant thereto,” the government said in its motion.

Bolton has not been charged of any crimes.

In the court filings, federal agents were asked to seize all physical documents and records with or without classification markings that appear to be classified and that relate to Bolton’s former position as assistant to the president for National Security Affairs.

Other items that federal agents have been asked to seize include anything containing information, including communications in any form, regarding the retrieval, storage or transmission of classified material or information related to national defense.

Federal agents have also been asked to seize any devices used to facilitate the “transmission, creation, display, encoding, or storage of data”, any documentation regarding the “operation of the digital device or other electronic storage media or software”, as well as any physical keys or encryption devices that are “necessary to gain access to the computer equipment, storage devices or data”.

The raid of Bolton’s home in Bethesda, Maryland occurred as part of a federal investigation into the handling of classified documents, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke to the Associated Press. It has widely been regarded as a reflection of the Trump administration’s increasing weaponization of the FBI as it goes after critics of the president.

On the morning of the raid, FBI director Kash Patel posted a cryptic message on X, saying: “NO ONE is above the law… FBI agents on mission.” Similarly, Dan Bongino, deputy director of the FBI, wrote: “Public corruption will not be tolerated.”

During Trump’s first presidency, Bolton served as Trump’s third national security advisor before his firing in 2019. For 17 months, Bolton and Trump frequently clashed over Iran, Afghanistan and North Korea, among other foreign policy issues.

In his 2020 memoir, The Room Where It Happened, which the first Trump administration unsuccessfully tried to block from being published, Bolton detailed Trump as ignorant of basic geopolitics and accused Trump of turning to other countries, including China, for re-election help.