Former National Security Adviser surrenders to authorities on espionage charges

In a major political and legal development, former US National Security Adviser John Bolton, one of President Donald Trump’s most vocal Republican critics, surrendered to authorities on Friday to face criminal charges related to the mishandling of classified information under the Espionage Act.

Targeting Trump critics

The indictment marks the latest in a string of legal actions against Trump critics in recent weeks, sparking debate over whether the Justice Department is being politicized.

Though Bolton left the White House after a bitter fallout with Trump, the criminal investigation into his memoirs gained momentum during the Biden administration following leaks that alarmed US intelligence officials. The Trump administration has now formally decided to press charges.

18 counts over secret diaries

A federal grand jury in Maryland indicted Bolton on 18 counts Thursday, accusing him of transmitting excerpts from his handwritten and electronic diaries to two unidentified individuals via email and private messaging apps.

The diaries, totaling over 1,000 pages, detailed his daily activities and meetings as national security adviser and allegedly contained highly classified information.

Political retaliation or national security concern?

Bolton called the case politically motivated, saying in a statement: “I look forward to fighting to defend my lawful conduct and exposing Trump’s abuse of power.”

His attorney, Abbe Lowell, argued that the diaries were “not classified and were shared only with immediate family,” adding that “keeping a personal journal is not a crime.” President Trump distanced himself from the case, saying he was unaware of the charges but described Bolton as a “bad man.”