EXCLUSIVE: Frantic Josh Duggar Begs Mom Michelle to 'Stop Making Statements' About Him in Biting Jailhouse Email Before 2022 Sentencing — 'Just Be Silent!'
Josh Duggar called his mother out for making public statements about him.
May 4 2026, Updated 3:38 p.m. ET
Josh Duggar all but told his mom to keep his name out of her mouth in a biting jailhouse email sent just before his sentencing hearing, RadarOnline.com can exclusively reveal.
On May 12, 2022, the disgraced former reality star, now 38, claimed he was "very disappointed" in his mom Michelle's behavior since his arrest.
'Who's Bitter?'
Josh Duggar said his mother didn't 'receive criticism' well in the May 2022 email.
"I feel like you just don't receive criticism or take admission for your own actions THAT HAVE DIRECTLY AFFECTED MY LIFE," he said in a lengthy email obtained by Radar.
Josh further claimed that when she or his dad, Jim Bob, were called out on failings, they "point to" his own "bad choices" and "defend" themselves instead of reflecting on their personal actions as parents.
"You accuse Anna of doing this most of the time ajd (sic) you dall (sic) her the 'most bitter person you know.' Who's bitter?" he continued, referring to his wife, who he has been married to since 2008. "I am not trying to make this a tit for tat argument, I'm asking a real question. Hold yourself to the same standard."
'Just Be Silent!'
Josh Duggar implored his mother to stop making public statements about him.
Josh then begged her to stop speaking about him publicly in a frantic, all-caps rant.
"YOU ALWAYS FEEL THE NEED TO RESPOND TO PUBLIC THINGS THAT RELATE TO MY LIFE," he wrote. "YOU'VE DONE IT SINCE I WAS A KID. WHY?"
"WELL, I'M TOP STORY ON 5NEWS ON TV RIGHT NOW," the 38-year-old declared. "PLEASE STOP MAKING STATEMENTS, JUST BE SILENT!!! WHY DO YOU HAVE TO KEEP TALKIN ABOUT ME? IT'S BAD ENOUGH WITH THE WORLD, WORSE WITH MY OWN FAMILY."
Josh Duggar Calls Out Jim Bob's 'Manipulation'
Josh Duggar implied his father, Jim Bob, needed to 'humble himself' in a June 2022 email.
Josh also ripped Jim Bob, 60, in emails sent a few weeks later. The convicted sex offender, who was sentenced to 12.5 years behind bars, said he'd "put too much faith" in Jim Bob's counsel, and accused his father of "attacking" him behind his back.
"He won't simply humble himself and see his role in all this," he ranted in a June 2022 message sent to Anna. "The controlling and the manipulating. I could have just stood up to it and I should have."
Josh's Eerie Warning to His Siblings
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Joseph Duggar was taken into custody nearly 5 years after Josh's arrest.
As Radar previously reported, Josh also issued his siblings a bizarre warning as he slammed them for not contacting him enough behind bars after his arrest.
In a May 2022 email, Josh asked his brothers and sisters, "Who's to say you won't be next? How would you want to be treated?" appearing to hint that one of them could face charges of their own in the future.
Four years later, Joseph Duggar, 31, was arrested on child molestation charges for an incident that allegedly took place during a family vacation in 2020. The alleged victim was 9 years old at the time.
Joseph was extradited to Florida and has since pleaded not guilty. Soon after, he was released on $600,000 bail.
