Hawkish Ex-Adviser Faces 18 Federal Counts in Alleged Mishandling of Sensitive Information

Washington, D.C. — A federal grand jury in Maryland indicted former national security adviser John Bolton on Thursday, accusing him of mishandling classified information through the use of a personal email account. The charges, which include violations of the Espionage Act, mark the latest in a series of legal actions against prominent critics of President Donald Trump.

Bolton, who served as Trump's national security adviser from 2018 to 2019 before becoming a vocal critic, faces eight counts of transmission of national defense information and 10 counts of unlawful retention of national defense information, according to a Justice Department statement. The 26-page indictment alleges that Bolton used an AOL email account to draft and store "diary-like notes" containing sensitive details from his time in the White House, at times even forwarding them to his wife and daughter.

The probe, which has been underway for months, intensified in August when FBI agents executed a search warrant at Bolton's suburban Washington home, seizing documents and electronic devices. Prosecutors claim the materials included classified discussions on national security matters, violating federal laws designed to protect such information.

"This is a serious breach of trust and national security protocols," said a senior Justice Department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "No one is above the law, regardless of past service." Bolton's attorney, Victoria Toensing, dismissed the charges as "politically motivated retribution" by a Justice Department she described as having become "Trump's personal vendetta machine." She vowed a vigorous defense, calling the indictment "a desperate attempt to silence a truth-teller."

The case echoes other high-profile indictments of Trump adversaries, including former officials accused of similar document mishandling. Bolton, whose 2020 memoir "The Room Where It Happened" drew ire from the White House for revealing internal deliberations, has long been a target of Trump's public scorn. Trump referred to him as a "disloyal" figure on social media as recently as last month.

Legal experts predict a protracted battle, with Bolton's team likely to challenge the Espionage Act's application to personal note-taking. "This isn't about espionage in the traditional sense," said former federal prosecutor Barbara McQuade. "It's about the blurry line between official duties and private records in the digital age."

Bolton, 76, is expected to be arraigned in the coming days in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. The case could extend into next year, potentially overlapping with ongoing political tensions ahead of the 2026 midterms.

This story is developing, with more details expected from court filings.