By Harshit, Washington, D.C. | October 17, 2025 6:30 AM EDT
Former U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton has been criminally indicted on federal charges related to the alleged mishandling of classified information, making him the third political opponent of President Donald Trump to face criminal prosecution in recent weeks. The indictment, returned by a grand jury in Greenbelt, Maryland, marks a dramatic escalation in investigations involving high-profile former officials.
The Department of Justice announced the indictment on Thursday, following an FBI search of Bolton’s home and office in August as part of a broader probe into the handling of sensitive U.S. national security information. Bolton, 76, is charged with eight counts of transmission of national defence information (NDI) and ten counts of unlawful retention of NDI. If convicted, he could face decades in prison, with each charge carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years.
Details of the Indictment
According to court documents, Bolton allegedly transmitted top-secret information about U.S. national defense using personal email accounts and messaging applications. The documents in question reportedly included intelligence regarding foreign adversaries, potential future attacks, and U.S. foreign policy relations.
The indictment alleges that Bolton shared over 1,000 pages of material with two relatives, reportedly his wife and daughter, including information from diary-like entries kept during his tenure as National Security Advisor under Trump. Prosecutors claim the material contained sensitive information that, at one point, was potentially accessed by a cyber actor associated with Iran, following a breach of Bolton’s personal email account between September 2019 and July 2021.
Bolton’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, described the diary entries as “unclassified” and shared only with immediate family, noting that the FBI was aware of them as early as 2021. He framed the indictment as part of a political vendetta, stating:
“Now, I have become the latest target in weaponizing the Justice Department to charge those [Trump] deems to be his enemies with charges that were declined before or distort the facts.”
Bolton’s Response and Legal Context
In a statement, Bolton maintained his innocence and expressed readiness to defend his actions in court. He described his conduct as lawful, emphasizing his decades of public service and asserting that the charges were retaliatory in nature.
The indictment comes amid long-standing controversy over Bolton’s 2020 memoir, The Room Where It Happened, which recounted his experiences serving under Trump. The book painted the former president as ill-informed on key geopolitical matters. The White House had previously attempted to block publication, arguing that the manuscript contained classified material, but a federal judge allowed the book’s release after reviewing it. DOJ documents indicate that, while the initial manuscript contained sensitive information, the published version does not include material specifically referenced in the indictment.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi emphasized the legal principle behind the charges, stating:
“No one is above the law.”
Bolton is expected to surrender to authorities on Friday, marking the start of what legal experts predict will be a protracted legal battle.
Political Context and Related Charges
Bolton’s indictment is the latest in a series of high-profile prosecutions involving Trump critics. Former FBI Director James Comey was charged with lying to Congress in late September, and New York Attorney General Letitia James faced bank fraud charges in October. These cases have followed repeated calls from Trump for the Justice Department to investigate his political opponents. In recent months, Trump has publicly urged action against individuals he perceives as adversaries, stating that delays “kill our reputation and credibility.”
Bolton, who previously served as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations under George W. Bush, has also had his Secret Service protection removed in January, along with other former officials critical of Trump. Observers note that the indictment underscores the intersection of national security concerns, legal precedent, and political dynamics in Washington.
Next Steps
With the indictment now public, legal analysts expect pretrial proceedings to begin shortly, with Bolton’s defense likely to emphasize the diary entries’ unclassified status and long-term public transparency. The case is anticipated to attract intense media scrutiny, given Bolton’s high-profile role in shaping U.S. foreign policy and his long-standing critiques of Trump’s administration.
The unfolding legal saga raises significant questions about accountability, the limits of prosecutorial discretion, and the politicization of justice in the United States, particularly in the context of classified information and national security.
