Former U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton has entered a plea of not guilty to federal charges concerning the alleged mishandling of classified information. The veteran diplomat appeared at a federal courthouse in Greenbelt, Maryland, to formally respond to the indictment.
Bolton faces a total of 18 charges. These include eight counts of transmitting national defense information and ten counts of unlawfully retaining such materials. Each count carries a potential prison sentence of up to ten years, raising the possibility of a life sentence if convicted on all charges.
The indictment stems from an FBI investigation that included a raid on Bolton’s home in Bethesda, Maryland, where hard drives and documents were seized. The unsealed 26-page indictment alleges that Bolton shared over a thousand pages of classified material, including ‘Top Secret/SCI’ documents, with two unauthorized individuals, reportedly close family members. He is also accused of unlawfully retaining classified national defense records and notes, some of which were later typed and shared electronically.
Concerns have been raised by some observers, as reported, that the charges against Bolton, a prominent critic of former President Trump, may be politically motivated. The indictment also suggests Bolton may have been a target of a hacker linked to the Iranian government, who might have accessed some of the sensitive materials in his possession.
Following his arraignment, Bolton was released pending his next court appearance, scheduled for November 21.