Former National Security Advisor John Bolton is under federal investigation for allegedly mishandling classified information, including transmitting sensitive emails over a private server that were intercepted by a foreign spy service.
The FBI raided Bolton’s Maryland home and Washington office last Friday.
Agents were reportedly searching for evidence that he sent “highly sensitive” materials to family members from an unsecured system during his time in the Trump White House.
Emails Exposed Abroad
According to The New York Times, U.S. officials first uncovered the classified emails while reviewing data from an adversarial country’s intelligence service.
Investigators said Bolton appeared to have shared sensitive information through unclassified emails with his wife and daughter while serving as Trump’s national security adviser.
The emails allegedly contained details from classified documents.
Officials believe the messages were tied to Bolton’s efforts to compile material for his 2020 memoir, The Room Where It Happened.
Dormant Probe Revived
The investigation originally began in 2020, shortly after Bolton’s book was released.
The Biden administration reportedly shelved the probe, but FBI Director Kash Patel revived it and authorized the raid.
Federal officials said they are reviewing whether Bolton violated sections of the Espionage Act, which criminalizes the illegal retention or transmission of national defense information.
No Charges Yet
Bolton, a longtime critic of President Trump since leaving the White House in 2019, has not been arrested or charged.
The case remains ongoing, and investigators have not yet announced whether formal charges will be filed.
