Former National Security Advisor John Bolton could face criminal charges in the coming days, according to multiple reports citing unnamed sources. CNN reported that the Justice Department may move to charge Bolton as early as this week, though timing could shift depending on internal deliberations within the department.
Bolton, who transitioned from serving in former President Donald Trump’s first administration to becoming a vocal critic of the former president, is reportedly under scrutiny for the alleged mishandling of classified national security documents. CNN noted that charges could also be filed later in the year, reflecting ongoing debate within the Justice Department over the timing and approach of any prosecution.
Reuters framed the situation as a discussion over when, rather than whether, to charge Bolton. According to the report, prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland—responsible for leading the investigation—and attorneys from the department’s National Security Division have reportedly resisted pressure from the office of Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. Sources told Reuters that prosecutors are being urged to present the case to a grand jury as soon as next week.
Meanwhile, CNN reported that senior Justice Department officials are weighing the possibility of replacing the current team of prosecutors handling Bolton’s case.
The investigation follows the discovery of classified documents in Bolton’s Washington office last month, according to Politico. The materials, recovered during an August 22 search, reportedly included references to weapons of mass destruction, U.S. diplomatic activities at the United Nations, and records related to strategic communications by the U.S. government. A subsequent search of Bolton’s home in Bethesda, Maryland, resulted in the seizure of computers and other electronic devices, though no classified materials were immediately flagged at that location.
Documents reviewed by investigators indicated potential evidence related to three felony offenses: gathering, transmitting, or retaining national defense information in violation of the Espionage Act, and unauthorized retention of classified material.
Bolton’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, has denied any wrongdoing, emphasizing the historical nature of the documents in question. “The documents with classification markings from the period 1998–2006 date back to Ambassador Bolton’s time in the George W. Bush Administration,” Lowell said in a statement Wednesday. “An objective and thorough review will show nothing inappropriate was stored or kept by Ambassador Bolton.”
The investigation has drawn national attention amid broader scrutiny of former officials and the handling of classified information. Vice President J.D. Vance, speaking to Newsweek, noted that the government remains in the “very early stages of an ongoing investigation into John Bolton in relation to a classified documents probe.” He added: “If they ultimately bring a case, it will be because they determine that he has broken the law. … You shouldn’t throw people willy-nilly in prison. You should let the law drive these determinations, and that’s what we’re doing.”
Former FBI Director James Comey was separately indicted Thursday on charges of lying to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding, according to Fox News, underscoring the Justice Department’s heightened focus on matters involving former senior officials.
