Ex-Trump NSA Bolton pleads not guilty to 18 charges of mishandling files

Former Trump adviser John Bolton has denied charges of mishandling classified information, including sharing diary-like notes; court hearing set for November 21

Former US National Security Adviser John Bolton pleaded not guilty to 18 federal charges of mishandling classified information on Friday, the BBC reported.

 

Bolton, 76, appeared before a federal court in Greenbelt, Maryland, and was released on his own recognisance. A hearing has been scheduled for November 21.

Prosecutors allege disclosure of sensitive material

According to the indictment, prosecutors claim Bolton shared sensitive information, including top-secret intelligence, through personal email and messaging applications. The data allegedly included details about future attacks, foreign adversaries, and US foreign-policy operations. 

 

Between 2019 and 2021, Bolton’s personal email account was reportedly hacked by individuals linked to Iran, potentially exposing government materials.

 

Bolton has denied all allegations, describing his actions as “lawful conduct” and accusing the Trump administration of weaponising the Justice Department against its perceived opponents.

 

His lawyer, Abbe Lowell, said the materials in question were diary-like records, unclassified, and already known to the FBI since 2021. “Like many public officials throughout history, Ambassador Bolton kept diaries, which is not a crime,” Lowell stated.

Book controversy and prior investigation

Bolton’s handling of classified information has long been under scrutiny, particularly over his 2020 memoir, The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir. The Trump administration attempted to block the book’s publication, arguing it contained classified content.

 

A federal judge allowed the release but rebuked Bolton for “gambling with national security”.

 

In August 2025, the FBI searched Bolton’s home and office as part of an ongoing investigation into whether he retained or distributed sensitive records. 

One of several Trump-era political targets

Bolton’s indictment makes him the third political rival of Donald Trump to face criminal charges in recent months, after former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Both have denied the charges.

 

Unlike the other cases, Bolton’s indictment reportedly includes detailed claims that he shared over 1,000 pages of sensitive documents with family members, including records revealing US intelligence sources and methods.

 

Trump has repeatedly attacked Bolton, accusing him of illegally publishing classified information and calling him a “lowlife”. Earlier this year, Trump revoked Bolton’s security detail and extended similar actions to several other political adversaries.