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The FBI on Friday searched the home and office of President Trump's former national security adviser, John Bolton.

Bolton served in Trump's first term in the White House for just over a year but has since become a sharp critic of the president. He has said he believed Trump would use the Department of Justice to enact a "retribution presidency."

The FBI on Friday said it conducted "court-authorized activity in the area" when asked about a search at Bolton's Maryland home.

"There is no threat to public safety. We have no further comment," the FBI added. The search of Bolton's home was first reported by the New York Post. Bolton's office declined immediate comment.

The search of Bolton's home as well as his office was tied to his handling of classified documents, two sources familiar with the investigation told NPR. The sources weren't authorized to speak publicly about the details of an ongoing probe.

Bolton was one of the former administration officials whose security clearances Trump stripped when he returned to office. Trump also revoked Bolton's security detail, which was in place because of threats from Iran.

Trump on Friday told reporters that he doesn't want to get involved in the investigation into Bolton, even though "I'm allowed to be; I'm the chief law enforcement officer."

Bolton published in 2020, a memoir about his time in the White House that was critical of Trump's approach to foreign policy and the presidency in general.

The Trump administration sued to try to block the book's publication, alleging that Bolton hadn't gone through the proper clearance process and that his manuscript contained classified information. A judge declined that request, but said Bolton's conduct raised national security concerns. The Biden administration dismissed the lawsuit, and prosecutors dropped a grand jury investigation the following year.

Trump on Friday compared the search of Bolton's home with the investigation into Trump's own withholding and concealing of classified documents at his home in Mar-a-Lago after leaving the White House.

"His house was raided today, but my house was raided also — Mar-a-Lago. They went through everything they could, including my young son's room and my wife's area," he told reporters.

BETHESDA, Md. - The FBI searched the Maryland home of former national security adviser John Bolton on Friday morning as part of an investigation into the handling of classified documents, according to the Associated Press.

Bolton home searched

What we know:

The individual, who was not authorized to speak publicly about the investigation, spoke to The AP on condition of anonymity. Bolton was neither detained nor charged, the person said.

Bolton not charged

Messages seeking comment from Bolton’s spokesperson and the White House were not immediately returned. An attorney who previously represented Bolton had no comment Friday.

The Justice Department declined to comment, though agency leaders appeared to refer to the search in a series of cryptic social media posts Friday morning.

Political tensions rise

FBI Director Kash Patel, who in a 2023 book labeled Bolton among "Executive Branch Deep State" figures, posted on X: "NO ONE is above the law… @FBI agents on mission."

Attorney General Pam Bondi reposted the message, adding, "America’s safety isn’t negotiable. Justice will be pursued. Always."

The search of Bolton’s home comes as the Trump administration intensifies efforts to investigate alleged political opponents, including authorizing a grand jury probe into the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation.

Bolton served as President Trump’s third national security adviser for 17 months, frequently clashing with him over policy in Iran, Afghanistan and North Korea.

He later faced scrutiny for his memoir, The Room Where It Happened, which officials claimed revealed classified information. The Justice Department dropped its lawsuit and a related grand jury investigation in 2021.

Bolton’s attorneys said he proceeded with publishing the book after a White House National Security Council official, who had reviewed the manuscript, confirmed it no longer contained classified material.

On his first day back in office this year, President Trump revoked the security clearances of more than 40 former intelligence officials, including John Bolton.

Bolton was one of three former Trump officials whose security details were revoked earlier this year by the president.