John Bolton, the former National Security Adviser to President Trump, has pleaded not guilty to federal charges accusing him of mishandling classified information. His plea was entered at a federal courthouse in Greenbelt, Maryland, following his surrender.
Bolton is facing a total of 18 charges: eight counts of transmitting national defense information and ten counts of unlawfully retaining such materials. The potential consequences are severe, with each count carrying a maximum sentence of ten years, leading to a possible life sentence if convicted on all counts.
The charges are the result of an investigation that saw FBI agents execute a search warrant at Bolton’s residence, seizing hard drives and document boxes. The indictment alleges that Bolton abused his position by sharing over a thousand pages of classified documents, some designated ‘Top Secret/SCI,’ with two unauthorized individuals, reportedly close family members. Furthermore, he is accused of illegally keeping notes and records pertaining to national defense, which he later transcribed and shared electronically.
Some commentators have suggested that these legal proceedings against Bolton, a vocal critic of former President Trump, could be politically motivated. The indictment also includes a detail about a potential cybersecurity threat, mentioning a hacker linked to the Iranian government who might have accessed some of the sensitive information Bolton possessed.
Bolton has been released from custody following his arraignment and is scheduled to appear in court again on November 21.