--- title: John Bolton's Super PAC Hired Cambridge Analytica description: President Donald Trump's pick for his new national security advisor has ties to Cambridge Analytica canonical: https://time.com/5212071/john-bolton-cambridge-analytica/ author: TIME article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-03-23T03:33:19.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-12T09:03:48.861Z article:section: Politics og:title: John Bolton's Super PAC Hired Cambridge Analytica og:description: The firm is under fire for its use of Facebook data og:url: https://time.com/5212071/john-bolton-cambridge-analytica/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte87c85f755d17206/69877c29e53aba30564d7409/ap31399859038.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2500 og:image:height: 1406 og:image:alt: John Bolton og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: John Bolton's Super PAC Hired Cambridge Analytica twitter:description: The firm is under fire for its use of Facebook data twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte87c85f755d17206/69877c29e53aba30564d7409/ap31399859038.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Trump's New National Security Advisor John Bolton Has Links to Cambridge Analytica > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=bfa6297f-278c-4485-b6c2-60e94d8b1c93&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### The seven newsletters | Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | | --- | --- | --- | | The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | | Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | | Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Weekdays | | Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Weekly | | D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Twice a week | | Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | | In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | Source: TIME, August 2026. ### Key data points | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 | | Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Publishing since | 1923 | TIME | ### TIME Newsletters: key statements * Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read. * All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=bfa6297f-278c-4485-b6c2-60e94d8b1c93&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). * The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=bfa6297f-278c-4485-b6c2-60e94d8b1c93&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What newsletters does TIME publish? TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (health, weekdays), Worth Your Time (culture, weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, twice weekly), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=bfa6297f-278c-4485-b6c2-60e94d8b1c93&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Why President Trump's Firings Are Not All The Same [Watch (HLS stream): Why President Trump's Firings Are Not All The Same](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/QQ934mGx.m3u8) (1:48)  _Published 2018-03-20. A guide to former Trump administration staffers._ by [Ryan Teague Beckwith](https://time.com/author/ryan-teague-beckwith/) ## Ryan Teague Beckwith Mar 23, 2018 3:33 AM UTC A guide to former Trump administration staffers. by [Ryan Teague Beckwith](https://time.com/author/ryan-teague-beckwith/) ## Ryan Teague Beckwith Mar 23, 2018 3:33 AM UTC President Donald Trump’s pick for his new national security advisor has ties to Cambridge Analytica, the voter-profiling firm currently facing criticism for its use of improperly obtained Facebook data. A super PAC run by [former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton](http://time.com/5211927/john-bolton-trump-national-security-advisor-hr-mcmaster-resign/) has paid Cambridge Analytica more than $1.1 million since 2014 for research, according to a [Center for Public Integrity review of campaign finance records](https://www.publicintegrity.org/2018/03/20/21623/john-bolton-eyed-trump-post-leads-super-pac-employed-cambridge-analytica). The firm also worked for Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Trump in the 2016 elections. Trump said Thursday that effective April 9 he would [replace National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster](http://time.com/5211928/hr-mcmaster-resign-john-bolton-trump-white-house-national-security-advisor/) with Bolton, a foreign policy hawk who makes regular appearances on Fox News. > [](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/976948306927607810) Since it was started in 2014, the John Bolton Super PAC has spent millions on independent expenditures for Republican candidates such as Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton and against Democrats such as New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan. A recent press release stated it [hoped to increase that spending](https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2018/01/04/1283549/0/en/AMBASSADOR-JOHN-BOLTON-TO-RUN-A-1-000-000-AD-CAMPAIGN-IN-SUPPORT-OF-KEVIN-NICHOLSON-FOR-U-S-SENATE-WI.html) in 2018. The super PAC was also among the first clients for Cambridge Analytica, which was suspended by Facebook this week for its handling of data. According to [a report in the New York _Times_ and the _Observer_ of London](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/17/us/politics/cambridge-analytica-trump-campaign.html), the firm culled personal data from more than 50 million Facebook users without their permission. **Read More:** [_Cambridge Analytica’s Data Was Either Valuable or Totally Worthless_](http://time.com/5207764/cambridge-analytica-facebook-data/) The report and a hidden video from a British news channel which [showed the firm’s CEO](https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/20/politics/alexander-nix-cambridge-analytica/index.html) discussing using bribes and entrapment against public officials have led to major criticism. Facebook [suspended](https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/17/politics/facebook-cambridge-analytica/index.html) the firm this week, and special counsel Robert Mueller is reportedly interested in the firm’s activities, [according to ABC News](http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/special-counsel-studies-trump-campaign-ties-cambridge-analytics/story?id=53903252). Bolton’s connection to Cambridge Analytica may have come through Robert Mercer, a billionaire conservative donor who is a major investor in the firm as well as [the largest donor](https://www.publicintegrity.org/2018/03/20/21623/john-bolton-eyed-trump-post-leads-super-pac-employed-cambridge-analytica) to the John Bolton Super PAC. But Bolton will probably not face questions on Capitol Hill anytime soon about his ties, as the position of national security advisor does not require Senate confirmation. Neither Bolton, the White House nor the National Security Council responded to requests for comment on the connection with Cambridge Analytica Thursday evening. ## Transcript [00:00] Before he became president, Donald Trump was [00:02] famous for firing people on television. You're fired. [00:06] You're fired. Hillary, you're fired. So it's not surprising [00:10] that his first year in office has seen a number of firings [00:12] and resignations, nearly triple the rate in President [00:15] Obama's first year according to one study. [00:16] [ BLANK_AUDIO ] But the [00:20] high turnover rate obscures the very different reasons [00:23] behind the departure Some have been typical. People [00:26] who lack because they were ready for something [00:27] different. That includes everyone from deputy White [00:30] House chief of staff Katie Wash to press secretary Sean [00:33] Spicer and communications director Hope Hicks. Then [00:36] there's people who left or were forced out because [00:37] they disagreed on policy. Deputy Attorney General [00:40] Sally Yates was fired for refusing to defend the travel [00:43] ban. Economic advisor Gary Cohn resigned over [00:46] transplant implements steel and aluminum tariffs. And [00:49] secretary of state Rax Tillerson was fired after clashing [00:51] with trump too many times. Others left under a cloud [00:55] of scandal. Health and Human Services secretary Tom [00:58] Price resigned amid criticism of his use of taxpayer [01:01] funded charter flights. [ MUSIC ] CDC Director Brenda [01:04] Fitzgerald resigned after reports she had traded in [01:06] tobacco stocks. And staff secretary Rob Porter [01:09] resigned after accusations of domestic violence. In [01:12] some cases, the departure itself has been [01:14] controversial. Trump's firing of FBI Director James [01:17] Comey started a series of events Of events that led to [01:19] the appointment of a special counsel. And the firing of [01:22] FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe raised questions [01:25] about the president's involvement. At least one Trump [01:28] staffer should have seen it coming. Aide Omarosa [01:31] Manigault was fired in December in part for misusing [01:33] White House car service. But it was the frist time she'd [01:37] been fired by Donald Trump. You know I've always [01:38] been a big Omarosa fan, but Omarosa you're fired. [01:41] [ MUSIC ] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5212071/john-bolton-cambridge-analytica/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5212071/john-bolton-cambridge-analytica/"},"headline":"Trump's New National Security Advisor John Bolton Has Links to Cambridge Analytica","datePublished":"2018-03-23T03:33:19.000Z","dateModified":"2026-10-12T09:03:48.861Z","description":"President Donald Trump's pick for his new national security advisor has ties to Cambridge Analytica","url":"https://time.com/5212071/john-bolton-cambridge-analytica/","keywords":["White House","Campaign Finance","Donald Trump","John Bolton"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte87c85f755d17206/69877c29e53aba30564d7409/ap31399859038.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Ryan Teague Beckwith","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/ryan-teague-beckwith/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte87c85f755d17206/69877c29e53aba30564d7409/ap31399859038.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"John Bolton","caption":"John Bolton","creditText":"Molly Riley—AP","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/tag/white-house/","name":"White House"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5212071/john-bolton-cambridge-analytica/","name":"Trump's New National Security Advisor John Bolton Has Links to Cambridge Analytica"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Why President Trump's Firings Are Not All The Same","description":"A guide to former Trump administration staffers.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/QQ934mGx/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2018-03-20T16:16:28.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/QQ934mGx.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/5212071/john-bolton-cambridge-analytica/","duration":"PT1M48S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/5212071/john-bolton-cambridge-analytica/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```