John Bolton, who once served as National Security Advisor, has pleaded not guilty to 18 criminal charges. The charges relate to how he handled classified information during his time advising President Trump.
Bolton appeared in federal court in Maryland, where he denied any wrongdoing. This follows an indictment by a grand jury accusing him of illegally sharing and keeping classified documents.
The charges include 18 counts of sharing national defense information and ten counts of keeping such information without authorization.
Bolton’s time in the Trump administration ended in September 2019, reportedly due to disagreements on foreign policy. President Trump has described Bolton as a “war hawk,” suggesting Bolton favored a more aggressive foreign policy approach.
The indictment claims Bolton sent “diary-like entries” containing classified material to family members through personal email and messaging apps. He is also accused of keeping physical and digital copies of classified information at his home.
One example cited is Bolton allegedly sending a highly classified document to a relative, followed by a warning to not discuss it.
Prosecutors say that from April 2018 to August 2025, Bolton shared over a thousand pages of information about his activities as National Security Advisor with unauthorized individuals, including information classified as “Top Secret.” He also allegedly kept classified documents at his home in Maryland.
Authorities also allege that hackers linked to Iran gained access to Bolton’s email account, potentially exposing some of the information he retained.
Bolton’s legal team argues that the case is based on matters that were investigated and resolved previously. His attorney, Abbe Lowell, stated that keeping diaries is not a crime. Lowell also claimed that Bolton did not unlawfully share or store any information.
Bolton himself has suggested that the charges are politically motivated, stemming from a book he wrote that was critical of President Trump’s handling of foreign policy.
However, the FBI has stated that their investigation found that Bolton did transmit top-secret information using personal online accounts and kept classified documents at his home, violating federal law.
The FBI director stated that the investigation was conducted professionally and without bias, and that the agency is committed to prosecuting anyone who threatens national security.
Following the court hearing, Bolton surrendered his passport. His next court appearance is scheduled for November 21st.
