Former national security adviser John Bolton, who was indicted Thursday, said he is “the latest target” in what he alleges are President Trump’s efforts to weaponize the Justice Department (DOJ).
Bolton, who served as the national security adviser during Trump’s first term before becoming a sharp critic of the president, was indicted by a federal grand jury Thursday on eight counts of transmitting and 10 counts of retaining national security information.
“I have become the latest target in weaponizing the Justice Department to charge those [Trump] deems to be his enemies with charges that were declined before or distort the facts,” said Bolton in a statement.
Prosecutors allege that, starting in April 2018 until at least August of this year, Bolton “abused his position” as national security adviser to share over a thousands pages of information regarding his daily activities with two relatives without security clearances. The Associated Press reported Thursday that the two relatives were Bolton’s wife and daughter.
The information was allegedly sent to the two individuals in “diary-like entries” through non-governmental messaging apps and email accounts.
The investigation into Bolton began under the Biden administration, and ramped up once Trump returned to office in January. In August, agents searched Bolton’s home and office. According to an affidavit later unsealed in court, the bureau suspected Bolton of improperly keeping national defense information related to his memoir, “The Room Where It Happened.”
In his statement, Bolton referenced the Trump administration’s attempts to prevent the book from being published. He said the book, published in 2020, was “reviewed and approved by the appropriate, experienced career clearance officials.”
The indictment also alleges that in July 2021, a representative for Bolton alerted the FBI that one of his personal accounts had been hacked by Iran. However, the representative did not say that Bolton shared classified information via the account or that the hackers had obtained access to government secrets.
Bolton, though, said Thursday that the FBI was “made fully aware” of the hack, and noted that “in four years of the prior administration, after these reviews, no charges were ever filed.”
Two other frequent Trump targets, New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) and former FBI Director James Comey, have also been indicted in recent weeks in federal court in Virginia.
If convicted, Bolton faces up to 10 years for each of the 18 counts.
“These charges are not just about [Trump’s] 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. “Dissent and disagreement are foundational to America’s constitutional system, and vitally important to our freedom.
“I look forward to the fight to defend my lawful conduct and to expose his abuse of power.”
