John Bolton Indicted Over Handling of Classified Information

John Bolton Indicted: Explosive Charges Over Classified Info Shake Washington

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John Bolton Indicted on 18 Counts of Mishandling Classified Information

John Bolton, the former national security adviser to President Donald Trump and one of his fiercest critics, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Maryland on 18 counts related to the mishandling of classified information. The charges stem from his alleged use of personal email accounts and encrypted messaging apps to share sensitive government secrets with family members who lacked security clearances.

If convicted, the 76-year-old could face up to 10 years per count—potentially spending the rest of his life behind bars.

The Classified “Diary” That Started It All

According to the 26-page indictment, Bolton maintained detailed “diary” notes chronicling his time in the White House from 2018 to 2019. These weren’t ordinary journal entries—they reportedly included top-secret intelligence, details about covert operations, foreign missile plans, and classified sources and methods.

Bolton allegedly sent over 1,000 pages of these notes via AOL and Google email accounts and an encrypted messaging app to two unnamed family members. Messages between them show they were aware of the sensitivity: after sending a 24-page document, Bolton wrote, “None of which we talked about!!!” One recipient replied: “Shhhhh.”

Court documents reveal the trio began using encrypted messaging the day after Bolton joined the White House in April 2018—explicitly for compiling material “for Diary in the future!!!!”

Trump’s Reaction: “He’s a Bad Guy”

Donald Trump, whose relationship with Bolton soured dramatically toward the end of his first term, reacted with grim satisfaction. When asked about the indictment at the White House, Trump simply said, “He’s a bad guy. That’s the way it goes.”

Notably, while Bolton is among several Trump critics now facing legal scrutiny, this investigation gained traction under the Biden administration. Career prosecutors in Maryland, working with the Justice Department’s National Security Division, pursued the case through standard channels—unlike recent Trump-directed moves to target political foes like James Comey and Letitia James.

Espionage Act in the Spotlight Again

The charges against Bolton fall under the Espionage Act of 1917, a law increasingly used in high-profile cases involving classified leaks. Past targets include Hillary Clinton (investigated but not charged), Donald Trump (indicted then dismissed), and President Joe Biden (subject of a special counsel probe over documents).

Ironically, Bolton once criticized Clinton harshly for her private email use, saying, “I’d be in jail right now” if he’d done the same. He also slammed the Trump administration earlier this year for using Signal to discuss military strikes—calling it “stunning” and “unacceptable.”

Iran Hack Adds Surreal Twist

In a bizarre turn, Bolton’s personal email was hacked in 2021 by someone linked to the Iranian government. A July 2021 message warned: “I do not think you would be interested in the FBI being aware of the leaked content… This could be the biggest scandal since Hillary’s emails—but this time on the GOP side!”

Bolton’s representative reported the hack to the FBI but allegedly failed to disclose that the compromised account contained classified national defense information.

Bolton’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, insists the case was “investigated and resolved years ago.” He argues that keeping personal diaries is common among officials and that the materials shared were unclassified and limited to immediate family. The FBI has known about these records since 2021, Lowell claims.

However, a search of Bolton’s Maryland home in August 2025 uncovered printed diary pages containing classified markings—directly contradicting his legal team’s assertions.

Bolton plans to surrender Friday and appear in federal court in Greenbelt, Maryland. He vows to “expose [Trump’s] abuse of power” through this legal battle.

Sources

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