Former National Security Advisor John Bolton Indicted on 18 Counts, Faces Up to 180 Years

John Bolton, former National Security Advisor to President Donald Trump, has been indicted on 18 federal charges related to the alleged unlawful transmission and retention of classified national defense information. The indictment, unsealed Thursday, October 16, 2025, in a Maryland federal court, accuses Bolton of sharing sensitive "diary-like" notes with relatives via a non-governmental email account, which was subsequently hacked by operatives linked to Iran. Bolton, who pleaded not guilty on Friday, faces a maximum potential sentence of up to 180 years in prison if convicted on all counts.

The Department of Justice detailed eight counts of unlawful transmission and ten counts of unlawful retention of national defense information. Prosecutors allege that between 2018 and August 2025, Bolton shared over 1,000 pages of classified material, including top-secret intelligence, with his wife and daughter. This material reportedly contained sensitive details about foreign adversaries, covert actions, and intelligence sources, with the indictment suggesting the Iranian hack exposed some of this information.

In a statement, Bolton vehemently denied the charges, asserting that he has "become the latest target in weaponizing the Justice Department to charge those he deems to be his enemies." His attorney, Abbe Lowell, maintained that the charges stem from unclassified portions of Bolton's personal diaries, which were shared only with immediate family and known to the FBI since 2021. Bolton, who has been a vocal critic of Trump since leaving office, is expected to mount a robust defense against what he calls political retribution.

President Trump reacted to the indictment by calling Bolton "a bad person" and "a bad guy" when informed by reporters at the White House. This indictment marks the third high-profile case brought by the Trump administration against a perceived political adversary in recent weeks, following charges against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Critics suggest a pattern of the Justice Department being used to target the president's political foes.

Bolton served as Trump's National Security Advisor from 2018 to 2019 before a contentious departure and later published a critical memoir, "The Room Where It Happened." An earlier investigation into Bolton's handling of classified information by the Justice Department under the Biden administration was closed without charges in 2021. The current indictment revives scrutiny over his conduct and the broader implications for national security.