Former Trump national security adviser John Bolton has been criminally indicted for allegedly mishandling classified information, becoming the latest in a series of the president’s political opponents to face legal action. A federal grand jury in Maryland returned an indictment on Thursday charging him with 18 criminal counts related to the transmission and retention of national defense information.
The indictment alleges that Bolton abused his position by sharing over a thousand pages of sensitive data, some classified up to the TOP SECRET/SCI level, with two relatives who lacked security clearances. He is also accused of unlawfully retaining documents at his home in Montgomery County, Maryland, violating federal laws designed to protect national security. These actions reportedly occurred after his acrimonious departure from the Trump administration, with the investigation revealing that he used personal online accounts for transmission.
President Trump responded to the indictment during a White House event, stating he was unaware of it but calling Bolton “a bad person” and “a bad guy.” This reaction aligns with Trump’s longstanding criticisms, including previous attempts to block the publication of Bolton’s book, “The Room Where It Happened,” which detailed internal administration dealings. The indictment marks the third time in recent weeks that a prominent Trump adversary has faced charges, following former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Bolton vehemently denied the charges, issuing a statement that characterized the indictment as politically motivated retribution. He argued that the underlying facts were investigated and resolved years ago, and that the charges distort reality to target Trump’s enemies. His lawyer, Abbe Lowell, emphasized that the information in question came from Bolton’s personal diaries, which he claims are unclassified and were shared only with immediate family, with the FBI aware of them as far back as 2021.
The investigation into Bolton’s handling of classified information has been ongoing for years, with the FBI conducting multiple interviews and executing search warrants at his home and office in August. Court filings reveal that the probe was partly triggered by a hack of Bolton’s AOL account by an entity believed to be associated with Iran, which occurred in 2021. Despite Bolton notifying the government of the hack, he allegedly failed to disclose that the account contained national defense information, raising further concerns about mishandling.
Bolton is expected to surrender to authorities on Friday and make an initial court appearance before Judge Theodore D. Chuang later in the day. If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison on each count, though any sentence would likely be lower based on federal sentencing guidelines. The legal proceedings will be closely watched, as they could set precedents for how similar cases involving high-profile figures are handled.
The broader implications of these indictations highlight deepening political divisions in the U.S., with critics accusing the Trump administration of using the justice system to silence opponents. Supporters, however, argue that it demonstrates equal application of the law. As Bolton’s case moves forward, it may influence public perception and electoral dynamics, underscoring ongoing tensions between executive power and accountability in American politics.