Startling new court documents have thrust a controversial alleged order from Donald Trump's presidency back into the spotlight. The filings claim the former President directed the FBI to seize a manuscript by his former National Security Advisor, John Bolton, in a dramatic attempt to prevent its publication.
The Alleged Presidential Order
According to the recent submission, the extraordinary directive was issued in early 2020. Trump reportedly wanted officials to confiscate the manuscript of Bolton's tell-all book, The Room Where It Happened, which contained damaging first-hand accounts of his time in the White House.
A Timeline of a Political Firestorm
The newly revealed timeline paints a picture of intense pressure from the highest office:
- Early 2020: Trump is alleged to have given the order for the FBI to seize the manuscript.
- June 2020: The Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit in a bid to block the book's release, claiming it contained classified information.
- Despite these efforts: The publication went ahead, becoming an instant bestseller and causing a political earthquake.
Beyond the FBI: A Multi-Pronged Effort
The court papers suggest the alleged attempt to suppress Bolton's account was not an isolated incident. It is presented as part of a broader pattern of behaviour by Trump, who frequently denounced the book as "full of lies" and "fiction." The DOJ's subsequent lawsuit was widely seen as an unprecedented move against a former senior official.
This revelation adds a significant new layer to the historical record of Trump's presidency, highlighting the extreme lengths he allegedly was willing to go to control the narrative and silence critics. The story continues to resonate, underscoring the deep tensions between executive power, freedom of speech, and national security.
