Former White House National Security Advisor John Bolton now finds himself at the center of a legal and political firestorm after being indicted on 18 counts related to the improper handling of classified materials. The indictment, handed down by a federal grand jury in Maryland on October 16, 2025, accuses Bolton of both transmitting and retaining national defense information, some of which was classified at the highest levels, according to Fox News Digital.
Bolton, who served as National Security Advisor under President Donald Trump from 2018 to 2019, stands charged with eight counts of transmission of National Defense Information and ten counts of retention of National Defense Information. The indictment alleges that, from April 9, 2018, through at least August 22, 2025, Bolton shared more than a thousand pages of classified information—including details about U.S. national defense, intelligence sources, and covert operations—with two individuals who were not authorized to receive such materials. On top of that, authorities say he kept additional classified documents, writings, and notes at his home in Montgomery County, Maryland.
Among the sensitive topics covered in the documents were intelligence about future attacks by adversarial groups, planned missile launches by foreign states, covert actions in foreign countries, and the identities and methods of human intelligence sources. The documents ranged in classification from "SECRET" to "TOP SECRET/SCI," and were allegedly transmitted using personal email accounts hosted by AOL and Google, a detail confirmed by the indictment and reported by Al Jazeera.
The FBI raided Bolton’s Maryland home on August 22, 2025, seizing a trove of electronic devices and boxes of printed daily activities. According to Fox News Digital, agents took two iPhones, three computers, a hard drive, USB drives, a white binder labeled "Statements and Reflections to Allied Strikes...," and folders of documents labeled "Trump I-IV." Four boxes of printed daily activities were also hauled away. The search, authorized by a warrant, was based on evidence gathered with the help of U.S. intelligence officials, including limited access provided by then-CIA Director John Ratcliffe.
The case against Bolton has a complicated history. The Justice Department originally launched a probe into Bolton’s handling of classified information years ago, only for the Biden administration to shut it down "for political reasons," a senior U.S. official told Fox News Digital. The investigation was later revived, and the current indictment is the result of that renewed effort. Legal analysts have noted that the case could have strong merit, especially given the accumulation of evidence over time. As reported by the Baltimore Sun, an expert pointed out that the investigation had been started by the Biden Justice Department, though they declined to bring charges at the time.
Bolton pleaded not guilty to all counts at his arraignment in the federal courthouse in Greenbelt on October 17, 2025. Each count carries a potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison, making the stakes extraordinarily high for the former national security official.
The legal drama is playing out against a backdrop of political intrigue and accusations of selective justice. Some observers have noted the irony that Bolton is facing charges similar to those previously leveled at former President Trump, who was accused of retaining classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago residence. A letter to the editor published in the Los Angeles Times on October 20, 2025, called the indictment "a declaration that irony is dead," and expressed concern that Trump is using the Department of Justice to punish his perceived enemies, including Bolton. "The president of the United States is putting a heavy hand on the scales of justice to vindictively seek to punish his enemies, and Bolton is just the latest," the letter argued, warning that such behavior threatens the foundations of democracy.
That sentiment was echoed in other media, with the Mary Sue reporting that Trump publicly feigned ignorance about Bolton’s indictment, despite evidence and widespread suspicion that he had been involved in orchestrating the case alongside Attorney General Pam Bondi. According to the outlet, a leaked message from Trump to Bondi revealed his intent to use the DOJ against his personal rivals, a move that critics say exemplifies the "weaponization of justice." When asked for comment, Trump responded, “I didn’t know that, you told me for the first time,” before calling Bolton “a bad person” and dismissing the matter with, “that’s the way it goes.” Social media users were quick to call out the former president’s performance as disingenuous, with one user describing it as "insulting to anyone with a memory longer than 5 minutes."
For his part, Bolton has not shied away from criticizing Trump’s approach to classified information and the justice system. After his indictment, Bolton stated, “I have become the latest target in weaponizing the Justice Department to charge those he deems to be his enemies with charges that were declined before or distort the facts.” Bolton’s own memoir, "The Room Where It Happened," was previously the subject of a legal battle over its alleged inclusion of classified material, but after a four-month review and required revisions, it was cleared for publication by a senior National Security Council official.
Federal authorities have made clear that they view the case as a matter of upholding the rule of law. FBI Director Kash Patel said, "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. 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." Attorney General Pam Bondi echoed the sentiment, stating, “There is one tier of justice for all Americans. Anyone who abuses a position of power and jeopardizes our national security will be held accountable. No one is above the law.”
Bolton’s career has been marked by both controversy and public service. In addition to his role as National Security Advisor, he served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush and has faced threats from Iran, including an alleged assassination plot in 2021, likely in response to the U.S. strike that killed Qassem Soleimani in 2020. The Department of Justice charged a member of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for the plot in 2022.
The Bolton indictment has reignited fierce debate over the boundaries of justice, the use of classified information, and the politicization of federal prosecutions. As the legal process unfolds, the case is sure to remain a flashpoint in America’s ongoing struggle to balance national security, transparency, and the rule of law.
