John Bolton was indicted on 18 counts of mishandling secret and confidential government documents, including some that revealed sources and methods; one document was labeled “weapons of mass destruction.” He sent the documents unsecured over his Google and AOL emai accounts. His email account was hacked by a party tied to the Islamic Republic of Iran.
A representative for Bolton informed the US government at the time but didn’t bother to mention the hackers had obtained Secret or Confidential documents.
The 18 Counts
The 18 counts refer to each of the documents he stole and mishandled. He faces eight counts of transmission of national defense information and 10 counts of retention of national defense information.
If convicted, he has to forfeit any of the proceeds obtained through use of the documents. He could face time in a federal prison.
Court filings related to the search warrant show the FBI had been investigating Bolton for years. Agents had interviewed him eight times between October 2020 and June 2025 at his office, according to the application.
The Documents He Stole
An inventory of items investigators took from Bolton’s office included several documents described as “classified,” “confidential” or “secret.” Some were described as “Weapons of Mass Destruction Classified Documents” and “U.S. Government Strategic Communications Plan — Confidential documents.”
BOLTON had access to, and was responsible for the safeguarding of, the most sensitive national defense information, including classified information.
While an accredited Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) was installed inside his home, it was decertified when he left his position. He had no permission to share any of it.
However, over and over, he sent classified and secret information to two releatives [believed to be his wife and daughter] who were not cleared to view it.
He sent it over his Google and AOL account.
The information was for his “DIARY.”
From on or about April 9, 2018, through at least on or about August 22, 2025, BOLTON abused his position as National Security Advisor by sharing more than a thousand pages of information about his day-to-day activities as the National Security Advisor-including information relating to the national defense which was classified up to the TOP SECRET/SCI level-with two unauthorized individuals, namely Individuals 1 and 2.
He Was Hacked by Islamists and Didn’t Mention the Documents Were Classified
At some point between when BOLTON left government service in September 2019 and July 2021, a cyber actor believed to be associated with the Islamic Republic of Iran hacked BOLTON’s personal email account and gained unauthorized access to the classified and national defense information in that account, which BOLTON had previously emailed to Individuals 1 and 2 while he was the National Security Advisor.
A representative for BOLTON notified the U.S. Government of the hack in or about July 2021, but did not tell the U.S. Government that the account contained national defense information, including classified information, that BOLTON had placed in the account from his time as National Security Advisor. Nor did BOLTON’s representative tell the U.S. Government that BOLTON had shared some of that national defense information, including classified information, with Individuals 1 and 2 via personal email and a nongovernmental messaging application.
The Evidence
The stolen documents were found in his home when his house was raided two months before. There is also evidence in his book.
He Knew What He Was Doing; He Had Intent
The indictment lists several occasions in which Bolton discussed handling of classified documents. Here are two of several:
On or about March 31, 2025, in a media interview, BOLTON stated in response to questions about allegations that a senior U.S. Government official had communicated sensitive government information using a non-governmental messaging application: Well, I don’t, I mean, to me, I just can’t even imagine opening a Signal chat group or a Telegram chat group or anything else. …
On or about April 18, 2025, in a media interview, BOLTON stated in response to a question about allegations that a senior U.S. Government official had communicated sensitive government information using a non-governmental messaging application: Initially, I was totally without words. I couldn’t-I couldn’t find-I couldn’t find a way to express how stunned I was that anybody would do this. You simply don’t use commercial means of communication, whether it’s supposedly an encrypted app or not for for these kinds of discussions. …
The Questionable Defense
Bolton’s attorney Abbe Lowell responded to the charges in a statement Thursday afternoon:
“The underlying facts in this case were investigated and resolved years ago. These charges stem from portions of Amb. Bolton’s personal diaries over his 45-year career – records that are unclassified, shared only with his immediate family, and known to the FBI as far back as 2021. Like many public officials throughout history, Amb. Bolton kept diaries – that is not a crime. We look forward to proving once again that Amb. Bolton did not unlawfully share or store any information.”
