According to U.S. media reports, Bolton, 76, allegedly stored notes and diary entries from his tenure in the Trump administration in his AOL email account. Investigators claim these files contained sensitive national security information, which he allegedly emailed to himself and family members. If convicted, Bolton could face a life sentence.
Email Hacked by Iran-Linked Group
Court filings reveal that Bolton’s email account was hacked in 2021 by a group linked to Iran, which reportedly threatened to release the files unless action was taken against him. The incident drew parallels to the 2016 Hillary Clinton email controversy.
The FBI began investigating the case in 2022, and formal charges have now been filed. The investigation reportedly intensified under the Biden administration, after intelligence agencies discovered potentially sensitive material in Bolton’s emails.
A hacker’s message cited in court documents warned:
“This could be the biggest scandal since Hillary’s email leak — but this time from the Republican side!”
Bolton’s Diary and Book Connection
Investigators allege that Bolton and his family intended to publish parts of his diary, which later formed the basis of his 2020 memoir, The Room Where It Happened — a book sharply critical of the Trump administration.
Bolton and Trump React
Reacting to the charges, former President Donald Trump called Bolton a “bad guy”, adding, “You reap what you sow.” The two had a well-documented falling out during the latter part of Trump’s presidency.
Bolton, however, dismissed the allegations as politically motivated, saying:
“This is a campaign to intimidate Trump’s critics. I will legally respond to these false accusations.”
His attorney also defended him, stating:
“Keeping a personal diary is not a crime. These documents were already known to the FBI.”
Charged Under Espionage Act
Bolton has been charged under the Espionage Act of 1917 — the same law used in investigations involving both Trump and Hillary Clinton over classified material.
He is expected to surrender to authorities on Friday and appear before the court the same day.
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