Indictment Alleges Transmitting and Retaining National Defense Information
October 17, 2025—A Maryland court indicted John Bolton, the former White House national security adviser during the first term of President Donald Trump.
Counts one through eight on the 26-page indictment relate to the “transmission of national defense information,” and counts nine through 18 accuse him of “retention” of the information.
The Trump administration’s Department of Justice shared the indictment online. Asked about the indictment on Thursday, Trump said, “I think he’s a bad person. I think he’s a bad guy, but that’s the way it goes.”
Bolton pleaded not guilty in court on Friday. Bolton has been publicly critical of Trump since leaving office in 2019. On Thursday, Bolton accused the Trump administration of using the Justice Department to punish critics.
“These charges are not just about his focus on me or my diaries, but his intensive effort to intimidate his opponents,” Bolton said.
