Ex-Trump National Security Chief John Bolton Charged With Storing Classified Info

John Bolton, who served as national security adviser to President Donald Trump during his first term and later became one of his fiercest critics, has been charged with storing top-secret records at home and sharing diary-like notes containing classified information with relatives, Eric Tucker, Alanna Durkin Richer and Michael Kunzelman reported for the Associated Press (AP).

Bolton served in the Trump administration for more than a year before being dismissed in 2019, and later published a scathing book criticizing the former president. (Photo: Gage Skidmore Flickr) 

The 18-count indictment also alleges that classified information was compromised when hackers believed to be linked to Iran accessed Bolton’s email account, which contained sensitive government material.

A Bolton representative informed the FBI in 2021 that the account had been hacked, prosecutors said, but did not disclose that it contained classified data that may have been exposed.

The charges set the stage for a high-profile case involving a longtime Republican foreign policy figure known for his hawkish views on American power.

Bolton served in the Trump administration for more than a year before being dismissed in 2019 and later published a scathing book criticizing the former president.

The case — the third against a Trump adversary in the past month — comes amid growing debate over whether the Justice Department is targeting Trump’s political opponents while appearing lenient toward his allies.

In a defiant statement, Bolton denied the charges, calling them part of an “intensive effort” by Trump to “intimidate his opponents.”