The Justice Department is preparing criminal charges against John Bolton, Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, according to exclusive reporting from MSNBC.
Prosecutors in Maryland are said to be weighing whether to seek a grand jury indictment or move faster by filing a direct court complaint, possibly next week.
Bolton, 76, served under Trump from 2018 to 2019 and has since become one of his fiercest critics. A longtime Republican foreign policy hawk, he has publicly blasted Trump’s handling of classified material and foreign policy decisions.
MSNBC’s Carol Leonnig reported that acting U.S. Attorney Kelly Hayes believes there’s a strong case that Bolton mishandled classified information found at his Maryland home. FBI agents spent hours searching the property and left with multiple boxes of materials.
Bolton’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, said the records are decades old and typical of what veteran officials retain.
Reuters and The Washington Post have confirmed that Bolton is under federal investigation. Both outlets cited court filings showing that the FBI seized cellphones, computers, and folders labeled “Trump I-IV” in an August search.
The Post said the inquiry involves potential Espionage Act violations.
If charged, Bolton will be the third Trump adversary to face prosecution in recent weeks, joining former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. MSNBC noted both earlier cases drew internal resistance from prosecutors, while Maryland officials appear unified in pursuing Bolton’s case.
Legal experts told MSNBC the move is surprising, given Bolton’s reputation as a rule-following straight shooter.
Some analysts said the pace of prosecutions targeting Trump critics signals a broader pattern of retribution, though the administration has said the charges are valid and not based on political revenge.
