Former Trump Adviser Bolton Arrested for Storing, Sharing Classified Documents

John Bolton, Former Trump Adviser, Indicted for Storing and Sharing Classified Information.

John Bolton, who served as President Donald Trump’s national security adviser and later became a prominent critic of him, has been formally charged with storing highly classified government records at his home and sharing sensitive information with relatives. The 18-count indictment alleges that Bolton kept diary-like notes detailing his time in office that contained top-secret material, some of which may have been accessed in 2021 when hackers linked to Iran allegedly breached his email account.

Bolton’s lawyers strongly denied any wrongdoing, stating that the materials were personal diaries shared only with immediate family and were previously known to the FBI. Much of the information had already been cleared during pre-publication review for his 2020 book The Room Where It Happened, which criticized Trump’s foreign policy decisions. Bolton described the charges as politically motivated, claiming the Justice Department is being “weaponized” against Trump critics.

The indictment details that Bolton shared more than 1,000 pages of sensitive information, including intelligence on foreign adversaries, US covert operations, and classified methods. Attorney General Pam Bondi emphasized that no one is above the law, citing national security concerns.

Bolton’s case follows scrutiny over the handling of classified content in his book, which the Trump administration claimed contained material that could threaten national security. Bolton’s decades-long career includes roles in the Reagan and Bush administrations, serving as US ambassador to the UN, and leading the National Security Council under Trump, where disagreements over Iran, North Korea, and Ukraine ultimately led to his resignation.

The case, filed in Maryland federal court, comes amid a spate of high-profile legal actions against former Trump associates and critics, and is expected to be closely watched due to Bolton’s prominence in US foreign policy and his outspoken stance against Trump.