Vance says Bolton FBI raid was not retribution
Vice President Vance said the Friday raid on former national security adviser John Bolton’s residence was not retribution for his political commentary critiquing the Trump administration.
“We're in the very early stages of an ongoing investigation into John Bolton. I will say we're going to let that investigation proceed,” Vance said during a clip of his interview with MSNBC’s “Meet the Press.”
“What I can tell you is that, unlike the Biden DOJ and the Biden FBI, our law enforcement agencies are going to be driven by law and not by politics. And so, if we think that Ambassador Bolton has committed a crime, of course, eventually prosecutions will come,” he added.
His full interview with Kristen Welker is expected to air Sunday, with the vice president addressing questions about Bolton’s unexpected probe.
In recent months, Bolton has been a vocal critic of President Trump’s foreign policy dealings, especially in relation to his meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin, claiming the leader knows the way to “Trump’s heart.”
His regular appearance on cable talk shows has caused some to speculate that the raid at his residence near Washington was motivated by his frequent rebukes to the current administration’s diplomatic efforts.
However, Vance rejected those allegations and said the probe was tied to an investigation linked to classified documents potentially being stored at Bolton’s home. Both Trump and former President Biden, in addition to corresponding administration officials, have been accused of mishandling high-level paperwork in the past.
“We are investigating Ambassador Bolton, but if they ultimately bring a case, it will be because they determine that he has broken the law. We're going to be careful about that,” he told Welker in reference to potential criminal prosecution from the Department of Justice (DOJ).
“We're going to be deliberate about that, because we don't think that we should throw people, even if they disagree with us politically, maybe especially if they disagree with us politically, you shouldn't throw people willy-nilly in prison,” he added.
“You should let the law drive these determinations, and that's what we're doing.”
On Friday, the president said he was unaware of the sting at Bolton’s home and added that he would remain uninvolved in the current investigation.
“I know nothing about it. I just saw it this morning, they did a raid,” Trump told reporters when asked about the search while referring to Bolton as “unpatriotic.”
“I tell [Attorney General Pam Bondi], and I tell the group, I don’t want to know, but you have to do what you have to do. I don’t want to know about it,” Trump continued. “It’s not necessary. I could know about. I could be the one starting it. I’m actually the chief law enforcement officer. But I feel that it’s better this way.”