Former National Security Advisor John Bolton Indicted In Maryland On Classified Information Charges

BETHESDA, Md. — Former National Security Advisor John Bolton, a longtime Washington fixture and resident of Bethesda, Maryland, was indicted on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, by a federal grand jury on 18 counts related to the alleged mishandling of classified information.

According to the Department of Justice, the 76-year-old faces eight counts of transmitting national defense information and ten counts of unlawfully retaining it. The charges stem from what prosecutors say were repeated violations of federal law involving highly classified documents, including material marked Top Secret.

Attorney General Pamela Bondi announced the indictment, emphasizing that “there is one tier of justice for all Americans.” She added, “Anyone who abuses a position of power and jeopardizes our national security will be held accountable. No one is above the law.”

Federal investigators say Bolton used personal email and messaging apps to transmit sensitive national defense information and kept classified materials in his home office in Bethesda. According to the indictment, the documents allegedly contained intelligence on foreign adversaries, details of planned attacks, and sources of U.S. intelligence operations.

FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement, “The FBI’s investigation revealed that John Bolton allegedly transmitted top secret information using personal online accounts and retained said documents in his house in direct violation of federal law. The case was based on meticulous work from dedicated career professionals who followed the facts without fear or favor.”

“The FBI is committed to protecting classified information to keep Americans safe. Anyone entrusted with this knowledge takes an oath and has a duty to safeguard it,” said Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “The charges alleged in this indictment demonstrate there will be consequences for those who violate this responsibility.”

Bolton’s legal team has reportedly disputed the Justice Department’s claims, telling CBS News that the documents in question were personal diary entries kept over decades and shared only with family members. The defense maintains the FBI had prior knowledge of those materials and that they were not improperly classified.

If convicted, Bolton faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count of transmission or retention of national defense information. A federal judge will determine sentencing under U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.

The FBI’s Baltimore Field Office led the investigation, with support from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland. U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes said, “Keeping Americans safe always has been, and always will be, our top priority. If anyone endangers our national security, we’re committed to holding them accountable.”

The case will be prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Sullivan and Robert Goldaris for the District of Maryland, along with Trial Attorneys Adam Barry, S. Derek Shugert, and Tanner Kroeger of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.

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