'Hypocrisy': Experts tie John Bolton FBI raid to Trump's own classified documents charge

President Donald Trump's former national security advisor, John Bolton, was raided on Friday morning by the FBI for something involving a "national security matter," NBC News reported. The implication for experts observing the story unfold is that the FBI is likely searching for classified documents. It prompted lawyers, national security experts and journalists to question when Trump began caring about such documents.

The FBI raided Trump's country club home in Feb. 2022, after it was revealed he had a number of classified documents and must comply with the Presidential Records Act. There were repeated requests of Trump to return the documents, which were ignored for over a year, ABC reported at the time. In fact, security videos showed Trump's staff frequently moving the boxes of documents around the compound, the aide told CNN.

"So by pretending there is some major violation by Bolton reclassified, they are also admitting that what Trump did was a major violation then," commented former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) on X.

Washington and Lee University Professor Eric Deggans wrote, "Hmmm. I wonder if those who complained about law enforcement searching Donald Trump's residence in the classified documents case will stand up for John Bolton now? Or at least demand to know why the FBI searched his home?"

Former White House ethics czar and law professor Richard Painter joked, "If they find boxes of classified documents stashed next to the toilet, like they did at Mar-a-Lago, let us know. Otherwise, we can assume this is nothing but retribution for writing a book criticizing the President."

Chair on Government Secrecy at the Freedom of the Press Foundation, Lauren Harper wrote on BlueSky, "Trump, who famously stole a bunch of presidential records and stuck them in a bathroom in Florida, wants you to think John Bolton is mishandling government info for writing mean things about Trump in his book."

Historian Branden McEuen questioned, "Wait, the administration that had classified records stacked up in a hotel bathroom suddenly cares about who has classified records?"

Far-right Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) posted, "I can’t help but think about @RogerJStoneJr this morning. His house was raided and he was arrested and was paraded in front of the press. I can see him smiling over today’s events."

National security expert Marcy Wheeler replied to the comment, "Funny thing is Kash [Patel] literally did what Stone falsely claimed DOJ did."

National security lawyer Mark Zaid warned, "This foretells what is to come in Trump's Patrimonialistic regime." He quoted the New York Post report saying, "Officials tell The Post that the current investigation has grown beyond Bolton’s book into a 'larger classified leaking probe that extended into the Biden administration.'”

After "Mother Jones" reporter Dan Friedman posted an excerpt of FBI Director Kash Patel's "enemies list" published in a 2024 book, Wheeler noted, "the selective prosecution claim will be epic."

Former Chicago Times metro editor Mark Jacob wrote on BlueSky, "This isn't a photo of classified records in John Bolton's bathroom. This is a photo of classified records that Donald Trump stole and stuck in his Mar-a-Lago bathroom."

"MAGA called it tyranny when the FBI searched Mar-a-Lago. Now that the Bureau is raiding John Bolton’s house, suddenly it’s 'justice.' Trump’s turned hypocrisy into an Olympic sport," wrote podcast host Brian Allen.

"So let me get this straight… Republicans say John Bolton must be punished for disclosing classified information. But Trump can literally steal and share classified documents and nothing should happen to him? Do I have that right?" political strategist Chris D. Jackson wrote.