Former Nationwide Safety Adviser John Bolton speaks to reporters after talking in a panel hosted by the Nationwide Council of Resistance of Iran – U.S. Consultant Workplace (NCRI-US) on the Willard InterContinental Resort on Aug. 17, 2022 in Washington, DC.
Anna Moneymaker | Getty Photographs
John Bolton, a former nationwide advisor to President Donald Trump and former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, was indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury in Maryland on fees of mishandling categorized info.
Bolton, 76, is the third high-profile Trump foe in latest weeks to be criminally charged after intensive criticism by the president.
The 26-page indictment in U.S. District Court docket in Greenbelt charged the Republican with eight counts of transmission of nationwide protection info and 10 counts of retention of nationwide protection info.
Bolton allegedly shared categorized info with two family members whereas he was Trump’s nationwide safety advisor from April 2018 by way of September 2019, and saved such info at his dwelling in Bethesda, Maryland, after leaving that publish.
The indictment additionally says that somebody suspected of being affiliated with the Islamic Republic of Iran obtained categorized info after hacking into Bolton’s private e mail account, which he used to share that info together with his family members.
The costs got here practically two months after FBI brokers raided Bolton’s dwelling and workplace in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 22 as a part of the legal investigation.
Two senior federal legislation enforcement sources informed NBC Information that Bolton is anticipated to give up to authorities on Friday after which seem in courtroom later within the day.
Bolton mentioned he was harmless and that he was being focused in a way akin to the Soviet Union’s secret police underneath Stalin due to his outspoken opposition to Trump.
His declare echoed what former FBI Director James Comey and New York Legal professional Basic Letitia James mentioned after they had been individually indicted lately in Virginia following calls by Trump for them to be charged.
“These fees are usually not nearly his deal with me or my diaries, however his intensive effort to intimidate his opponents, to make sure that he alone determines what is claimed about his conduct,” Bolton mentioned of Trump, who beforehand was prosecuted for retaining categorized paperwork after his first time period within the White Home.
Trump informed reporters on the White Home that he had not recognized that Bolton had been indicted.
“You are telling me for the primary time, however I feel he is … a foul particular person,” Trump mentioned. “He is a foul man. It is too unhealthy. However that is the best way it goes proper? That is the best way it goes.”
Bolton faces a most doable sentence of 10 years in jail on every depend if convicted. However federal sentencing tips would suggest a punishment that may be a lot much less extreme.
FBI brokers carry bins as they exit the constructing that homes the Washington workplace of former Nationwide Safety Adviser John Bolton, in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 22, 2025.
Aaron Schwartz | Reuters
The indictment says that Bolton, from 2018 till August 2025, shared “greater than a thousand pages of his day-to-day actions because the Nationwide Safety Advisor — together with info referring to the nationwide protection which was categorized as much as the TOP SECRET/SCI [sensitive compartmented information] stage — with two unauthorized people” who had been family members of his.
Neither of these two folks, who had been recognized by MSNBC as Bolton’s spouse and daughter, had safety clearances, the indictment says.
“Bolton additionally unlawfully retained paperwork, writings, and notes referring to the nationwide protection, together with info categorized as much as the TOP SECRET/SCI stage, in his dwelling,” the indictment mentioned.
Bolton is accused of sending, by way of non-governmental messaging purposes like AOL and Gmail, “diary-like entries” that contained info categorized as high secret to his two family members.
In July 2021, a consultant of Bolton informed the FBI {that a} cyber hacker believed to be related to Iran hacked Bolton’s private e mail account, in keeping with the indictment.
On July 25, 2021, Bolton obtained an e mail associated to the hack, which threatened to inform the FBI about it.
“This may very well be the most important scandal since Hillary’s emails had been leaked, however this time on the G.O.P. facet!” the e-mail mentioned, in keeping with the indictment. “Contact me earlier than it is too late.”
The indictment mentioned the hacker had “gained unauthorized entry to the categorized and nationwide protection info in that account, which Bolton had beforehand emailed to People 1 and a pair of whereas he was the Nationwide Safety Advisor.” However Bolton allegedly by no means informed the FBI of that truth, in keeping with the indictment.
Legal professional Basic Pamela Bondi, in a press release on Bolton’s indictment, mentioned, “There’s one tier of justice for all Individuals.”
“Anybody who abuses a place of energy and jeopardizes our nationwide safety shall be held accountable. Nobody is above the legislation,” Bondi mentioned.
Bolton’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, in a press release, mentioned, “The underlying info on this case had been investigated and resolved years in the past.”
“These fees stem from parts of Amb. Bolton’s private diaries over his 45-year profession – data which are unclassified, shared solely together with his quick household, and recognized to the FBI way back to 2021,” Lowell mentioned.
“Like many public officers all through historical past, Amb. Bolton saved diaries – that isn’t against the law,” Lowell mentioned. “We look ahead to proving as soon as once more that Amb. Bolton didn’t unlawfully share or retailer any info.”
Bolton, in his personal assertion, “For 4 many years, I’ve devoted my life to America’s international coverage and nationwide safety. I might by no means compromise these objectives.”
He mentioned that “Trump’s retribution towards me started then, continued when he tried unsuccessfully to dam the publication of my e-book, The Room The place It Occurred, earlier than the 2020 election, and have become certainly one of his rallying cries in his re-election marketing campaign. Now, I’ve grow to be the newest goal in weaponizing the Justice Division to cost these he deems to be his enemies with fees that had been declined earlier than or distort the info.”
Bolton additionally mentioned that when his e mail was hacked, “the FBI was made totally conscious.’
‘In 4 years of the prior administration, after these critiques, no fees had been ever filed,” Bolton mentioned. “Then got here Trump 2 who embodies what Joseph Stalin’s head of secret police as soon as mentioned, ‘You present me the person, and I will present you the crime.’ “
“Dissent and disagreement are foundational to America’s constitutional system, and vitally vital to our freedom,” Bolton mentioned. “I look ahead to the battle to defend my lawful conduct and to reveal his abuse of energy.”
