Former National Security Adviser John Bolton used a private email account that was later hacked by a foreign entity, according to an FBI search warrant affidavit unsealed Friday. The 41-page document, which justified last month’s raid on Bolton’s Maryland home, outlines concerns that the longtime diplomat mishandled classified records.
Investigators allege Bolton sent “highly sensitive” White House documents to family members using his personal email. U.S. intelligence officials reportedly recovered some of those emails from a foreign adversary’s spy agency, triggering the initial probe. A section of the affidavit titled “Hack of Bolton AOL Account by Foreign Entity” details the incident, though nearly 10 pages are redacted, leaving the nation responsible unidentified.
The affidavit also cites Bolton’s 2020 book, The Room Where It Happened, which a National Security Council review determined contained “significant amounts” of classified information, including top-secret material. An NSC official warned Bolton’s attorney at the time that the detailed manuscript appeared to rely on notes from his White House service, despite Bolton’s claim during his debriefing that he retained no records. The letter cautioned that any such notes could fall under the Presidential Records Act and be subject to litigation.
Bolton is now represented by Abbe Lowell, the defense attorney currently best known for representing Hunter Biden.
Read the FBI Search Warrant Affidavit
