Former National Security Advisor John Bolton’s legal troubles have escalated dramatically, and this time, even the friendly press can’t save him. According to the New York Times, the investigation that triggered FBI raids on his Maryland home and Washington office began during the Biden administration — and it’s not just about hoarding documents for his book deal.

The Times reported that U.S. intelligence agencies intercepted material from a hostile foreign service that showed Bolton, while still serving under President Trump, transmitting classified information over an unsecured system to people close to him. Whether those individuals had the clearance to receive such material remains an open — and deeply troubling — question. If true, Bolton may have compromised national security for personal convenience, something that goes far beyond partisan squabbling.

For weeks, legacy outlets floated the narrative that Bolton was being targeted because of his harsh criticism of Trump. Now, with details emerging about intercepted emails and mishandled intelligence, the story has shifted. The media is hedging its defense, acknowledging that the case may be less about retaliation and more about serious breaches of the law.

Vice President JD Vance underscored this point in an interview after the raids, stressing that the investigation would be handled by the book. “If we think that Ambassador Bolton has committed a crime, of course, prosecutions will come,” Vance said, adding that unlike the Biden-era DOJ, the Trump administration would not pursue politically motivated cases. His comments reinforced the idea that this investigation is about evidence, not vendetta.

The timing of the leaks to the Times is also notable. They landed just after Vance dismantled NBC host Kristen Welker’s attempts to frame the probe as political theater. By planting the story that Bolton may have funneled classified intelligence through compromised channels, the Times effectively undercut the retaliation argument it had been promoting. Now, instead of a victim, Bolton looks like a liability — one who may have endangered U.S. secrets.

This reversal marks a turning point. The same outlets that once cast Bolton as a martyr of Trump’s supposed vengeance are now signaling that the case against him is real. That alone suggests Bolton’s chances of walking away unscathed are slim. If he is prosecuted, the defense that this was just another Trump vendetta will be difficult to sustain when the Biden DOJ initiated the probe.

For Trump and his allies, the fallout is twofold. First, it strips Democrats and their media allies of a favorite talking point — that Trump weaponizes the DOJ against critics. Second, it highlights the irony that Bolton, who relished attacking Trump in books and television appearances, may now fall to charges unearthed long before Trump returned to power.

Ultimately, the Bolton saga has morphed from a convenient narrative about Trump’s supposed abuses into a genuine national security scandal. And with the media retreating from its retaliation spin, Bolton appears increasingly isolated. The message is clear: the story has shifted, and John Bolton may finally be cooked.