Justice Department drops Trump-era investigation into Bolton book
Bolton's book generated harsh press for the former president, depicting him as a corrupt leader.
The Justice Department has dismissed its Trump-era criminal probe into whether a memoir by former President Donald Trump's national security adviser illegally disclosed classified information — a clear rebuke of the Trump Justice Department's moves against John Bolton.
Bolton's book, "The Room Where it Happened," generated harsh press for the former president. Released in June 2020, the book depicted Trump as a corrupt leader who only cared about getting reelected, "even if it meant endangering or weakening the nation."
The Justice Department sued Bolton in June 2020, aiming to stop the publication and regain profits he made from it. A federal judge denied the administration's request to block the release, noting that the book had already been "printed, bound and shipped across the country" at the time.
The legal action against Bolton began after Trump publicly and privately pressured White House aides and DOJ officials to stop the publishing of the national security adviser's tell-all book.
After the administration failed to halt the book's publication, it was revealed in September 2020 that the DOJ had opened a criminal investigation into the matter.