John Bolton, Donald Trump's former national security adviser, has arrived at a federal court to surrender to authorities on charges of mishandling classified information. The 18 charges stem from allegations he shared or retained sensitive materials, some characterized as top secret.
Bolton, who served during Trump's first administration but left under contentious circumstances, has become one of the president's loudest critics. The indictment makes him the third political opponent of Trump to face legal challenges in recent weeks. Bolton has stated he will defend his 'lawful conduct'.
Upon his arrival at the Greenbelt, Maryland courthouse, Bolton did not respond to questions from reporters. He is expected to make an initial appearance and may need to go through fingerprinting and a booking photo process at the U.S. Marshals office.
Prosecutors have accused Bolton of using personal messaging apps and email to illegally transmit sensitive information that revealed intelligence about future attacks and international relations.
Bolton expressed that he believes he is being targeted as part of a political weaponization of the Justice Department against those deemed enemies by Trump. The charges include sharing diary-like entries with unnamed individuals and using personal emails to transmit sensitive documents.
Additionally, Bolton faced a hacking incident between 2019 and 2021, with cyber actors believed to be linked to Iran gaining access to classified materials.
He has faced scrutiny for his handling of classified documents since 2020 when he sought to publish a memoir detailing his experience in the Trump administration, which the Justice Department attempted to block due to potential classified information.
While a judge ultimately ruled against the government's attempt to block Bolton's book, the judge rebuked him for 'gambling with the national security of the United States'. The investigation into his actions continues into the Biden administration.
Bolton, who served during Trump's first administration but left under contentious circumstances, has become one of the president's loudest critics. The indictment makes him the third political opponent of Trump to face legal challenges in recent weeks. Bolton has stated he will defend his 'lawful conduct'.
Upon his arrival at the Greenbelt, Maryland courthouse, Bolton did not respond to questions from reporters. He is expected to make an initial appearance and may need to go through fingerprinting and a booking photo process at the U.S. Marshals office.
Prosecutors have accused Bolton of using personal messaging apps and email to illegally transmit sensitive information that revealed intelligence about future attacks and international relations.
Bolton expressed that he believes he is being targeted as part of a political weaponization of the Justice Department against those deemed enemies by Trump. The charges include sharing diary-like entries with unnamed individuals and using personal emails to transmit sensitive documents.
Additionally, Bolton faced a hacking incident between 2019 and 2021, with cyber actors believed to be linked to Iran gaining access to classified materials.
He has faced scrutiny for his handling of classified documents since 2020 when he sought to publish a memoir detailing his experience in the Trump administration, which the Justice Department attempted to block due to potential classified information.
While a judge ultimately ruled against the government's attempt to block Bolton's book, the judge rebuked him for 'gambling with the national security of the United States'. The investigation into his actions continues into the Biden administration.
