Former National Security Adviser John Bolton entered a plea of not guilty on Friday at a federal courthouse in Maryland. He faces serious charges related to the transmission and retention of national defense information, as outlined in an 18-count indictment made public by the United States Department of Justice on March 15, 2024. The indictment alleges that Bolton mishandled classified information during his tenure in a role that had significant implications for national security.
The charges indicate that Bolton’s alleged misconduct occurred between April 2018 and August 2025. Prosecutors claim he “abused his position as National Security Adviser by sharing more than a thousand pages of information about his day-to-day activities” on the job. This includes sending diary-like entries containing top secret information to two unnamed individuals, both of whom are reportedly related to him. Some of this communication took place through personal email accounts, including services provided by AOL and Google.
Attorney General Pam Bondi emphasized the importance of accountability, stating, “Anyone who abuses a position of power and jeopardizes our national security will be held accountable. No one is above the law.” Bolton’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, countered these claims by asserting that his client did not break any laws. Lowell described the documents in question as portions of personal diaries and unclassified records, stating, “The underlying facts in this case were investigated and resolved years ago.”
Details of the Allegations
According to the indictment, Bolton allegedly mishandled sensitive materials that included details about covert action plans, human intelligence gathered from sensitive sources, and intelligence on foreign leaders. The indictment specifically references that he used a group chat to communicate some of this information, which raises further concerns about the security of classified materials. During a discussion, one of the unnamed individuals questioned the use of a group chat, to which Bolton reportedly responded, “For Diary in the future!!!”
In August, FBI agents executed a search warrant at Bolton’s home and his office in Washington, D.C. They discovered items marked as classified, secret, and confidential during this operation. A court filing indicated that the documents collected contained sensitive information regarding weapons of mass destruction, the U.S. mission to the United Nations, and strategic government communications.
Political Context and Reactions
The charges against Bolton come amid a broader political climate where several individuals associated with former President Donald Trump have faced legal scrutiny. Trump, while addressing reporters on March 14, remarked that he had not reviewed the details of the case against Bolton but described his former adviser as “a bad person.”
Bolton’s situation differs from recent charges faced by other high-profile figures, such as former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, who are also dealing with legal challenges. Comey was indicted for allegedly misleading lawmakers, while James faces accusations related to mortgage fraud. Both have denied the allegations and plan to contest them in court.
In the wake of the allegations, Lowell expressed confidence in Bolton’s innocence, stating, “An objective and thorough review will show nothing inappropriate was stored or kept by Ambassador Bolton.” He argued that many of the materials found during the search had previously been subject to a pre-publication review for Bolton’s book and were resolved years ago.
The case is officially titled United States v. Bolton, 25-cr-314, and is being heard in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland (Greenbelt). As the legal proceedings unfold, the implications for national security and the accountability of those in power remain under scrutiny.
