Vice President JD Vance said the government has “broad” concerns about former National Security Advisor John Bolton following an FBI raid on his home, according to a preview of his upcoming interview on NBC’s Meet the Press.
In the segment, moderator Kristen Welker asked Vance about the search.
Kristen Welker: “We’ve learned that the FBI is searching the home and office of former Ambassador John Bolton. Can you tell me why the FBI is raiding Ambassador Bolton’s property? Did the White House have prior notice?”
Vance: “We’re in the very early stages of an ongoing investigation into John Bolton. Our law enforcement agencies will be guided by law, not politics. If crimes are found, prosecutions will follow. Right now, this is about gathering evidence on matters we’re concerned about.”
When pressed on whether classified documents were at the center of the investigation, Vance said they were “certainly part of it,” but added that the concerns surrounding Bolton were “broader.” He emphasized that Bolton would have “his day in court” if evidence of crimes emerged.
Welker also asked whether Bolton had been detained. Vance responded, “I assume that he hasn’t been detained and won’t be detained until there’s an actual prosecution, if that happens.”
Addressing criticism that the raid could be political retaliation—given Bolton’s history as a critic of President Trump and his appearance on Kash Patel’s so-called enemies list—Vance dismissed the idea.
“No, not at all,” he said. “If we were trying to do that, we’d just launch prosecutions like the Biden DOJ did—cases that ended up getting thrown out in court. If the Department of Justice brings a case, it will be because they determine Bolton broke the law, not because he disagrees with us politically.”
Welker pressed further, noting that critics see the move as retribution. Vance pushed back: “A lot of people saying that are the same ones who tried to throw Donald Trump in prison on fake charges. If this investigation is allowed to play out, people will see it’s being driven by the national interest and the law, not revenge.”
