John Bolton Indicted: 18 Counts for Mishandling Classified Documents

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   Sharlee01posted 3 days ago

   
   
   Former National Security Advisor John Bolton Indicted for Mishandling Classified Documents
   
   Former National Security Advisor John Bolton has been indicted on charges related to the mishandling of classified information. A federal grand jury in Maryland returned the indictment on October 16, 2025, charging Bolton with 18 counts under the Espionage Act. Specifically, he faces eight counts of transmitting national defense information and ten counts of unlawfully retaining such information
   
   Allegations and Investigations
   
   The charges stem from an investigation into Bolton's handling of sensitive government documents. Prosecutors allege that between 2018 and 2025, Bolton transmitted over a thousand pages of classified materials to unauthorized individuals, including relatives, using a personal AOL email account and messaging applications. These documents reportedly contained information ranging from secret travel memoranda to intelligence on weapons of mass destruction
   
   The indictment accuses Bolton of retaining classified documents in a personal email account that was compromised in a foreign cyberattack. The FBI conducted searches at Bolton's Maryland residence and Washington, D.C., office in August 2025, seizing documents marked as classified and folders referencing former President Donald Trump
   
   Legal Proceedings and Potential Penalties
   
   Each count carries a potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison. Bolton, through his attorney Abbe Lowell, has denied any wrongdoing, asserting that the materials in question reflect his routine 40-year career in public service
   
   The case is being led by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Maryland, with prosecutors Kelly O. Hayes and Tom Sullivan overseeing the proceedings. The indictment follows a Biden-era investigation that reportedly presented stronger evidence than previous politically charged cases involving other former Trump officials
   
   Political Context
   
   Bolton, 76, served as President Trump's national security advisor from 2018 to 2019 and later became a vocal critic of the former president. The indictment occurs amid a broader pattern of legal actions against Trump's critics, including former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Critics argue that these prosecutions may be politically motivated, while supporters of the Justice Department emphasize the principle of equal justice under the law
   
   As the legal process unfolds, the case against Bolton is expected to draw significant attention, given his prominent role in U.S. foreign policy and his subsequent criticism of the Trump administration.
   
   Sources
   https://www.reuters.com/business/financ … hatgpt.com
   https://nypost.com/2025/10/16/us-news/e … hatgpt.com
   https://www.washingtonpost.com/national … hatgpt.com

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   Sharlee01posted 2 days ago

   Today ---  Bolton turned himself in today to authorities at the federal courthouse in Greenbelt, Maryland.
   
   The Justice Department issued a press statement affirming the charges and stating that “no one is above the law” in matters of national security.  "“There is one tier of justice for all Americans,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Anyone who abuses a position of power and jeopardizes our national security will be held accountable. No one is above the law.”AG Bondi 
   
   “The FBI’s investigation revealed that John Bolton allegedly transmitted top secret information using personal online accounts and retained said documents in his house in direct violation of federal law,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The case was based on meticulous work from dedicated career professionals at the FBI who followed the facts without fear or favor. Weaponization of justice will not be tolerated, and this FBI will stop at nothing to bring to justice anyone who threatens our national security.”
   
   The indictment alleges that Bolton illegally transmitted NDI by using personal email and messaging application accounts to send sensitive documents classified as high as Top Secret. These documents revealed intelligence about future attacks, foreign adversaries, and foreign-policy relations.
   
   The indictment also alleges that Bolton illegally retained NDI documents within his home. These documents included intelligence on an adversary’s leaders as well as information revealing sources and collections used to obtain statements on a foreign adversary.
   
   https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice- … hatgpt.com
   
   Some of the materials are described in the documents as “diary-like entries,” which he reportedly shared with family members.
   AP News
   
   The indictment also claims that Bolton’s email was compromised (linked to operatives tied to Iran), which may have exposed some of these documents.  AP
   
   https://apnews.com/article/john-bolton- … df28d57c9f

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   Sharlee01posted 2 days ago

   Former Trump National Security Advisor John Bolton faces 18 federal charges tied to the alleged mishandling of classified materials, surrendering to authorities Friday.
   
   George Washington University law professor and Fox News contributor Jonathan Turley said the evidence against Bolton appears "very damning."
   
   "This information is classified at the highest levels because this is information that can get people killed," Turley told "Fox & Friends."
   
   "I mean, this is the type of information that, if it gets out, can reveal sources and methods that represent really threatening consequences for national security."
   
   According to the indictment, Bolton is accused of transmitting classified national defense information and illegally keeping classified documents that included details on future attacks, intelligence strategies, covert operations and sensitive sources.
   
   Bolton responded to the indictment, saying: "I have devoted my life to America's foreign policy and national security. I would never compromise those goals. I tried to do that during my tenure in the first Trump administration but resigned when it became impossible to do so."
   
   "These charges are not just about his focus on me or my diaries, but his intensive effort to intimidate his opponents."
   
   Turley said even if Bolton’s legal team argues this kind of document handling was common or involved older material, it "doesn’t fly."
   
   "I mean, the question is, is it classified or not? That's why jurors tend to view these as rather cut-and-dry questions," Turley said.
   
   "The other argument was sort of what's suggested by his counsel is, well, everyone does this, this is just keeping a diary. That's not gonna work either. Whether you transmit the document or the contents, it's classified, and it's subject to these criminal laws."
   
   Fox News’ Trey Gowdy, a former federal prosecutor, agreed with Turley about the seriousness of the case against Bolton.
   
   "It is the gravest secrets that this country has. It's the kind of information that gets people killed. Millions of documents over years," Gowdy said on "Hannity" Thursday.
   
   "The gravest possible danger could have been done to this country and may well have been done because Iran accessed his email at his home. This is very, very serious."
   
   Source Fox News

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   Ken Burgessposted 43 hours ago

   The Bolton appointment by Trump is one I never understood...
   
   Bolton was a known war-hawk... he called for strikes against Iran and North Korea and demanded retaliation against Moscow for what he saw as its interference in U.S. affairs.
   
   A good read:
   
   https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/u … ne-policy/
   
   “Trump implies that a Ukrainian president sympathetic to Russia could help avoid a third world war.” - Bolton from the book 'the room where it happened'
   
   Bolton of course despised that idea... how un-American right?
   
   That Trump would consider allowing Ukraine to have stronger relations with its neighbor Russia... to avoid a World War ...
   
   Bolton, who believes American interests call for strong support for Ukraine, portrays Trump siding with Putin and Russia at every turn against Ukraine.
   
   And now we have learned what the likes of Bolton and Biden's desires for Ukraine would bring us... millions dead... hundreds of billions wasted... and a war that is still escalating today.
   
   That is so much better than advocating for a Ukrainian government that would find common ground and peace with Russia... it is clear why Trump is so unfit to be President, trying to avoid such a wonderful war that the world has been able to enjoy these past few years.

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      Sharlee01posted 39 hours agoin reply to this

      Ken,  I completely agree — I never understood the Bolton appointment either. In my view, Bolton’s constant push for conflict shows exactly why Trump’s approach was so different and, honestly, more measured. Trump seemed to prioritize preventing unnecessary wars, looking for ways to avoid massive loss of life and economic waste, while Bolton’s mindset was always about escalation. I think this really highlights how Trump’s willingness to consider alternative approaches, even ones that some might call “unconventional,” was actually about protecting American and global interests, rather than diving headfirst into endless conflicts.

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         Ken Burgessposted 12 hours agoin reply to this

         I think it was one of many lessons learned in his first term.
         
         Perhaps the best thing for America was his "defeat" in 2020...
         
         Giving him time to reflect and analyze all that occurred...
         
         Letting folks like Milley and Bolton really come out of the closet (so to speak) and expose their disdain and disrespect for all to see...
         
         Then the continued assaults on him, the FBI raids... the endless efforts to create some crime that they could use to strip his wealth and freedom from him...
         
         And that ultimately brought to him some true Patriots willing to fight for America and the American people... like Tulsi Gabbard ... Marco Rubio.
         
         Like I have said... if this Administration cannot sail ship America through the storm ahead there will be none that can do so... this is the Administration to set the ship straight...
         
         To quote Apollo Creed from Rocky "There is no tomorrow."

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