Bolton is said to have had his home and office searched on Friday morning, reports American media with reference to sources. In pictures, police and people with FBI logos on their backs can be seen moving around Bolton's home in a suburb of Washington DC and the office in the American capital.
He has not been arrested and is not reported to be suspected of a crime.
According to the information, the operation is said to concern the handling of classified documents and was ordered by FBI chief Kash Patel. In a post on the platform X, Patel writes that "no one is above the law", without describing the incident in more detail.
Bolton has in recent years profiled himself as a vocal critic of Donald Trump. Among other things, he has called Trump "unfit" as president in a book he wrote after being fired from his position as national security adviser, and he has regularly criticized Trump's foreign policy.
Trump, on his part, has accused Bolton of revealing state secrets in the same book, but attempts to stop the book have failed.
Trump has taken action against Bolton by withdrawing his security clearance and revoking his personal protection.
