Washington, October 17 (Udaipur Kiran): Former U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton, once a senior aide to ex-President Donald Trump and now one of his most vocal Republican critics, surrendered to authorities on Friday after being indicted on charges of mishandling classified information.
According to the U.S. Justice Department, an 18-count indictment was filed against Bolton in a federal court in Maryland on Thursday, accusing him of transmitting and retaining highly classified material in violation of the Espionage Act. He is expected to make his first court appearance later in the day.
The indictment alleges that Bolton shared detailed diary entries and notes from his time as National Security Adviser with two individuals who did not have security clearances. These notes, sent via his personal email and messaging accounts, reportedly contained sensitive national defense information and descriptions of secure environments and meetings.
“Bolton took detailed notes documenting his day-to-day meetings, activities, and briefings… and later re-wrote his notes in a word processing document,” the indictment stated.
The Justice Department said Bolton’s actions demonstrated “willful mishandling of classified information,” citing the use of personal communication channels to send more than 1,000 pages of notes after leaving the White House in 2019.
Bolton, 76, has denied any wrongdoing. In a statement released through his attorney Abbe Lowell, he said:
“I look forward to the fight to defend my lawful conduct and to expose [Trump’s] abuse of power.”
Lowell added that the case concerns portions of Bolton’s personal diaries, which were “unclassified, shared only with his family, and known to the FBI since 2021.”
The Justice Department’s case reportedly gained traction during the Biden administration, following concerns raised by U.S. intelligence officials over Bolton’s disclosures. It marks the third indictment in recent weeks involving a critic of former President Trump.
When asked about the case, Trump said he was unaware of the charges but described Bolton as a “bad guy.”
Bolton previously served as National Security Adviser from April 2018 to September 2019, leaving the White House after policy disagreements with Trump. In his memoir published last year, he described Trump as “unfit to be president.”
The Justice Department said it pursued the case under the Espionage Act due to “aggravating factors” — including the willful mishandling of classified information, the volume of material involved, and potential disloyalty to the U.S.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
