John Bolton Surrenders to Authorities
Weeks ago, we reported that both John Bolton's home and his office were raided by FBI agents in what they referred to as a national security investigation into leaks that happened during the first Trump Administration.
After once claiming President Trump should “be put in jail for a long time” for his alleged handling of classified documents, it is now John Bolton who finds his possession and sharing of classified materials being called into question. Bolton surrendered to authorities today as he faces charges related to the storage and sharing of classified information.
As reported by Fox News:
Former White House National Security Advisor John Bolton pleaded not guilty Friday to all 18 counts related to the improper handling of classified materials after surrendering to federal authorities in Maryland.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy Sullivan explained the charges to Bolton and asked if he understood them and the potential penalties of up to ten years per count and a maximum fine of $250,000 per count.
"I do your honor," Bolton said during his arraignment at the federal courthouse in Greenbelt, Md.
He was indicted on eight counts of transmission of national defense information and ten counts of retention of national defense information.
The irony here is impossible to ignore. The same John Bolton who once positioned himself as a moral counterweight to President Trump’s “recklessness” now finds himself surrendering to federal authorities after being indicted on 18 counts related to essentially the very crime he accused President Trump of committing. And it’s worth noting that Bolton’s indictment, which includes eight counts of unlawfully transmitting national security information and ten counts of retaining classified material, stems from what prosecutors describe as “reckless” handling of some of the nation’s most sensitive secrets. Even more brow-raising? Much of it reportedly happened through his personal AOL and Gmail accounts.
According to the indictment, Bolton was emailing diary entries that included classified material—attack plans, human intelligence sources, and details about U.S. allies—to his wife and daughter. The indictment cites messages suggesting he knew he wasn’t supposed to be doing it, including exchanges where family members seemed to acknowledge they shouldn’t be talking about certain things. And worse, investigators say that one of the accounts he used was hacked by Iranian cyber operatives. If that’s true, it’s not just bad judgment—it’s potentially catastrophic for U.S. security.
Bolton, who pleaded not guilty in his initial court appearance this morning, is now the third high-profile Trump critic to face federal indictment, following James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Predictably, media outlets like CNN are already trying to distance this case from those, insisting that Bolton’s situation is “different.” But the difference seems to be less about law and more about politics—and who’s currently in the crosshairs.
And despite Bolton’s claims that he’s just “the latest target” of President Trump’s retribution, it turns out this case began under the Biden Administration, led by U.S. Attorney Thomas Sullivan, a longtime prosecutor known for handling national security cases. Whoops! There goes the Left’s favorite claim that every indictment involving a Trump critic must be politically motivated. It’s hard to call this one a “Trump DOJ hit job” when the investigation started under Biden.
And let’s not forget, this isn’t Bolton’s first brush with trouble over classified material. Back in 2020, his tell-all book, The Room Where It Happened, caused so much controversy that the court noted that he had “likely jeopardized national security.” That was a civil matter. Now, it’s criminal.
As Sekulow Executive Producer Will Haynes pointed out, this case isn’t about political alliances or cable news soundbites—it’s about national security. Bolton’s emails may well have contained enough sensitive material to put real American lives at risk. And that is serious.
For those of us who try to live out our faith in both grace and truth, we want justice: not vengeance, and not partisanship. And as Luke 8:17 assures us, “For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed.” If the DOJ truly holds Bolton accountable, it may restore a small measure of faith that the rules can apply to everyone—even those who once walked the halls of the West Wing.
Bolton himself once said: "We have to hold everyone accountable equally.” We couldn’t agree more.
Today’s Sekulow broadcast included more discussion of the charges against former national security advisor John Bolton and what happens next. Plus, we were joined live on the broadcast by Craig Bushon, who joined us to discuss his book, The Silent Genocide: Why the World Ignores the Slaughter of Christians. And, we discussed last night’s fiery debate between the three contenders for New York City’s coveted mayoral seat, including former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and controversial socialist Zohran Mamdani.
Watch the full broadcast below: