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What was the nature of the relationship between Donald Trump and John Bolton during the second Trump administration?

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The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

One of the first acts that Pres. Donald Trump took after assuming office in 2025 was to eliminate the Secret Service detail that had been assigned to protect John Bolton since December 2021, when an Iranian plot to assassinate Bolton was discovered. For his part, Bolton has continued to be harshly critical of Trump’s foreign policy, particularly around the Russia-Ukraine War. In August 2025, the FBI searched Bolton’s home and office as part of a criminal investigation into whether he illegally possessed or shared classified documents.