In The News 16 October 2025

Bolton indicted over classified documents

By Andrew Rice
The Center Square

President Donald Trump's former national security advisor John Bolton was indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury. 

A federal grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland handed up the indictment, accusing Bolton of sharing day-to-day information of his activities as Trump's national security advisor to two unauthorized individuals. 

The grand jury's indictment also accuses Bolton of unlawfully retaining documents, notes and writings related to national defense sealed up to the top secret level. 

"At no point did BOLTON have authorization to store or transmit the classified information that he sent to [unauthorized individuals] via his personal electronic devices and accounts," the indictment reads. 

In August, the FBI raided Bolton's home in Montgomery County, Maryland. 

The grand jury indictment said Bolton improperly kept or sent documents gathered on foreign leaders, plans that outlined foreign attacks such as missile launches, and documents about actions undertaken in the United States government. 

Many of the documents obtained were under classified or top secret restrictions. 

After serving as Trump's national security advisor, Bolton fell out of favor with the president when he authored a book, "The Room Where it Happened" during Trump's first administration. 

If Bolton is convicted of the charges, the indictment said he will be required to forfeit all property derived from proceeds related to the documents or sharing of information. 

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