John Bolton Indicted for Mishandling Classified Information

Former White House National Security Advisor John Bolton was indicted Thursday on 18 counts related to the alleged mishandling of classified national defense information, Fox News Digital reported. The charges include eight counts of transmitting National Defense Information and ten counts of unlawful retention of such material.

According to the indictment, Bolton shared over 1,000 pages of sensitive documents—some marked TOP SECRET/SCI—with two unauthorized individuals between 2018 and 2025. He also allegedly stored classified notes and documents at his home in Montgomery County, Maryland, in violation of federal law.

The indictment outlines numerous intelligence disclosures, including plans for covert U.S. operations, missile launches by adversaries, communications with foreign intelligence partners, and sensitive methods used to collect human intelligence. Additional records revealed adversary knowledge of U.S. military plans and foreign involvement in attacks on U.S. facilities.

Fox News reports that all the transmitted materials were classified, with several designated TOP SECRET. One document reportedly detailed intelligence on a planned attack by a hostile group. Others contained information about U.S. and allied covert actions, intelligence sources, and adversary military strategies.

FBI Director Kash Patel stated that Bolton used personal online accounts to transmit the documents and unlawfully stored them at home. “Weaponization of justice will not be tolerated,” Patel said, praising the FBI’s “career professionals” for pursuing the case. Bolton is scheduled to appear in court in Maryland on Friday, in what could be one of the most serious national security cases against a former senior official.