John Bolton lashed out at President Trump on Thursday evening after a grand jury returned a damning 18-count indictment.
Trump’s former National Security Advisor John Bolton was indicted by a grand jury in Maryland on Thursday.
- Counts 1–8: Transmission of National Defense Information
- Counts 9–18: Retention of National Defense Information
Read the indictment here.
Bolton’s case was assigned to Judge Theodore Chuang, an Obama appointee.
If convicted, Bolton, 76, is facing up to 180 years in prison.
Bolton was indicted on 18 counts under the Espionage Act.
John Bolton transmitted classified emails over a private server system, and they were intercepted by Iran, according to the indictment.
According to the 26-page indictment, Bolton shared the classified documents with two unnamed relatives. While the indictment did not name the relatives, a previous leak to The New York Post revealed that Bolton shared the documents with his wife and daughter.
Bolton lashed out at President Trump and said he has become the “latest target in the weaponizing the Justice Department.”
“When my e-mail was hacked in 2021, the FBI was made fully aware. In four years of the prior administration, after these reviews, no charges were ever filed,” Bolton said defending his use of a private server to transmit classified material.
“These charges are not just about his focus on me or my diaries, but his intensive effort to intimidate his opponents, to ensure that he alone determines what is said about his conduct,” Bolton said.
“Then came Trump 2 who embodies what Joseph Stalin’s head of secret police once said, “You show me the man, and I’ll show you the crime,’” Bolton said. “Dissent and disagreement are foundational to America’s constitutional system, and vitally important to our freedom.”
Bolton said he looks forward to defending his “lawful” conduct and to expose Trump’s “abuse of power.”
Amb. Bolton’s statement pic.twitter.com/YaB2I52wqX
— Robert Costa (@costareports) October 16, 2025
“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,” said FBI Director Kash Patel.
“The case was based on meticulous work from dedicated career professionals at the FBI who followed the facts without fear or favor. Weaponization of justice will not be tolerated, and this FBI will stop at nothing to bring to justice anyone who threatens our national security,” Patel added.
“Keeping Americans safe always has been, and always will be, the top priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “If anyone endangers our national security, we’re committed to holding them accountable.”
Bolton is expected to surrender Friday morning in a federal courthouse in Greenbelt, Maryland.
BREAKING: John Bolton is expected to self surrender tomorrow morning.
I would much rather see him perp walked RIGHT NOW.
He is a flight risk and I do not TRUST HIM for a single second. pic.twitter.com/q61jmH2E4n
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) October 16, 2025