What Next | Daily News and Analysis What the John Bolton Raid Means
8 snips
Aug 27, 2025 
Shane Harris, a national security and intelligence staff writer for The Atlantic, sheds light on the recent FBI raid of John Bolton's home. The conversation dives into the implications of this incident as a form of political retribution against dissenters in the Trump administration. Harris explores Bolton's controversial role and the fallout from his memoir, addressing how the raid reflects broader tensions within U.S. intelligence. Journalistic fears of surveillance in this hostile climate add another layer to the unfolding story.
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Politics As Retribution
- The Trump administration is using investigations and actions against critics as a form of political revenge.
- Shane Harris argues these moves signal a broader campaign to punish officials who publicly opposed Trump.
Bolton’s Break With Trump
- John Bolton served as Trump's national security advisor from April 2018 to September 2019 and quickly fell out with the president.
- Bolton then wrote The Room Where It Happened and clashed with the White House over prepublication review, which escalated into legal disputes.
Conflicting Manuscript Reviews
- Bolton submitted his manuscript for government review and made edits after career officials flagged sensitive passages.
- A later political review contested that assessment, suggesting the White House sought to block publication for political reasons.
