A federal grand jury in U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland on Thursday, October 16, has charged John Bolton, former National Security Adviser under President Donald J Trump, with 18 counts under the Espionage Act (18 U.S.C. § 793) for allegedly retaining and transmitting classified information after leaving the White House in 2019.
“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 charges stem from an FBI investigation that uncovered Bolton using personal email and messaging accounts to share top-secret materials, including details from a 2018 North Korea summit, and retaining documents at his home.
The 26-page indictment accuses Bolton of sharing and keeping highly sensitive materials, including top-secret details, which prosecutors say jeopardized national security. This marks the first Espionage Act indictment against a former National Security Adviser.
“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.”
Bolton, 76, faces up to 180 years in prison if convicted. Bolton faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count of unlawful retention of NDI and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count of transmission of NDI. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
On August 22, the FBI, under the direction of FBI Director Kash Patel, raided the Bethesda, Maryland, home of Bolton, as part of a criminal investigation into national security concerns involving his alleged mishandling of classified records.
After being fired by President Trump in 2019, Bolton has been highly critical of the president frequently calling him “unfit” over foreign policy and national security issues. In 2020 he published a book titled “The Room Where It Happened,” which detailed his experiences and criticized Trump’s foreign policy decisions. This book led to legal battles over the release of classified information.
Bolton is known in conservative circles as a “warmonger” for his strong support for military intervention, aggressive foreign policy stance against Iran and North Korea, and Iraq War advocate. Most recent, he has been critical of Trump’s strategic stance on the Russia-Ukraine war.
After the FBI raided the Mar-a-Lago home of then-candidate Trump in August of 2022, Bolton was a vocal critic of Trump’s handling of classified documents. He argued that Trump’s actions demonstrated a lack of respect for the law and national security protocols. In an interview with CNN, Bolton described Trump’s behavior as “totally irresponsible.”
Bolton served under the George W. Bush Administration as the Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security (2001-2005) and from 2005-2006, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.
Author: Mario Lotmore
