John Bolton, Donald Trump's former national security adviser, has dismissed the former president's accusations about the FBI raid at his Mar-a-Lago home as 'lies' that demonstrate a 'real level of desperation'. In an interview with The New York Times, Bolton directly refuted Trump's claims that FBI agents planted evidence or only took declassified documents.
Trump has advanced multiple conspiracies since the FBI executed a search warrant for classified documents, reportedly including nuclear-related materials. He falsely accused former President Barack Obama of similar conduct and criticised the Justice Department for not indicting Hillary Clinton over her private email server, despite her compliance with document requests.
Trump also suggested that agents would plant incriminating evidence and has sought to stir anger among supporters targeting the FBI. The agency has condemned 'reprehensible' threats against its personnel and, alongside the Department of Homeland Security, warned of an elevated risk of attacks since the raid. An FBI office in Ohio was attacked by a lone gunman who was later killed, while armed protesters gathered outside the FBI's Phoenix headquarters.
Bolton, a long-time critic of Trump, also dismissed the notion of a 'standing order' to declassify documents sent to Mar-a-Lago. 'I was never briefed on any such order, procedure, policy when I came in,' he told the Times, adding that such an order would have to be formally recorded.
