John Bolton Faces Indictment Over Classified Information Sharing

Sat Oct 18 2025 15:06:09 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Former National Security Advisor John Bolton turned himself in to federal authorities, pleading not guilty to charges of mishandling classified documents and leaking sensitive information to family members.

John Bolton, the former National Security Advisor, has been indicted for keeping top secret documents in his home and sharing classified information with family members. Bolton's indictment comes amid accusations that the Justice Department is being used politically against those opposing Donald Trump. His charges add to an ongoing pattern of legal actions against Trump's adversaries. Bolton asserts that he is a victim of a politically motivated prosecution, while the government emphasizes that no one is above the law in matters of national security.

Former National Security Advisor John Bolton turned himself in to federal authorities Friday morning in Maryland and pleaded not guilty to charges of retaining classified documents and sharing sensitive information with his family.

This indictment represents the third recent case initiated by the Justice Department against individuals perceived as adversarial to former President Donald Trump, raising concerns about potential political motivations behind these proceedings.

While Bolton chose not to speak to reporters during his courthouse visit in Greenbelt, approximately 13 miles northeast of Washington, he previously expressed dissatisfaction about becoming the target of what he referred to as a politicized Justice Department. Following the issuance of an 18-count indictment, Bolton stated he was being unfairly targeted.

Background on Bolton

The 76-year-old Bolton is a prominent Republican who served as National Security Advisor during Trump's first term. His tenure was marked by a number of controversies, especially regarding relations with North Korea and Iran. Bolton's book, “The Room Where It Happened,” criticized Trump’s foreign policy approaches and was released amidst a lawsuit from the Trump administration to block it from publication.

Details of the Charges

The indictment charges Bolton with sharing sensitive information, including notes from meetings and briefings that he provided to his wife and daughter. Authorities claim that Bolton utilized personal email for these communications, which led to national security vulnerabilities.

The indictment also mentioned that a Bolton representative disclosed in 2021 that his email account had been compromised by individuals suspected of being linked to the Iranian government, thus highlighting the risks his actions posed to national security.

Political Context

There are growing concerns regarding Trump’s perceived use of the Justice Department against political opponents. Additional recent legal actions have included charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James for alleged mortgage fraud and an indictment against former FBI Director James Comey for lying to Congress.