On October 17, 2025, in Greenbelt, Maryland, U.S., former White House National Security Adviser John Bolton arrived at the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland to turn himself in and make his first court appearance on charges of mishandling classified information.
Leah Millis | Reuters
President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, John Bolton, pleaded not guilty Friday to charges of mishandling classified information, multiple news outlets reported.
Bolton, 76, made his first appearance in federal court in Maryland a day after being indicted by a grand jury, becoming the latest Trump opponent to face criminal charges.
Former FBI Director James Comey and New York State Attorney General Letitia James were also indicted on criminal charges within the last month.
Mr Bolton has been charged with 18 counts of possession and storage of defense related material.
If convicted, each charge could carry up to 10 years in prison, although federal sentencing guidelines would likely recommend a lesser penalty.
The 26-page indictment alleges that Bolton shared classified information with two relatives while serving as President Trump’s national security adviser from April 2018 to September 2019.
Mr. Bolton’s lawyer, Abby Rowell, said the former national security adviser did not illegally share or store any information.
“The underlying facts of this case were investigated and resolved years ago,” Lowell said in a statement Thursday.
Bolton said in his own statement that he was being targeted because of his opposition to President Trump.
He said the charges relate to Trump’s “concentrated efforts to intimidate his opponents so that he alone can decide what will be said about his actions.”
