The 18-count indictment also suggests classified information was exposed when operatives believed linked to the Iranian regime hacked Bolton’s e-mail account in 2021 and gained access to sensitive material he had shared.

A Bolton representative told the FBI that his emails had been hacked, prosecutors say, but did not reveal that he had shared classified information through the account or that the hackers now had possession of government secrets.

The indictment sets the stage for a closely watched court case centering on a longtime figure in Republican foreign policy circles known for hawkish views on American power. Bolton served for more than a year in the administration before being fired in 2019 and later emerging as a strong critic.

The investigation that produced the criminal case was already underway before the current administration took office in January, but it came to public attention in August when the FBI searched Bolton’s home in Maryland and his office in Washington.

In a statement made on  Thursday in which he denied the charges and said:

“Now, I have become the latest target in weaponising the Justice Department to charge those he deems to be his enemies with charges that were declined before or distort the facts,” Bolton said.

“The underlying facts in this case were investigated and resolved years ago. These charges stem from portions of Amb. Bolton’s personal diaries over his 45-year career – records that are unclassified, shared only with his immediate family, and known to the FBI as far back as 2021,” Bolton lawyer Abbe Lowell said in a separate statement.

“Like many public officials throughout history, Amb. Bolton kept diaries – that is not a crime. We look forward to proving once again that Amb. Bolton did not unlawfully share or store any information.”

The case follows separate indictments in recent weeks of former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney-General Letitia James on unrelated charges, both of which they deny. Those cases were filed in federal court in Virginia by a prosecutor recently appointed to the position amid frustration that investigations into high-profile figures had not led to charges.

By contrast, the Bolton case was brought in Maryland by a U.S. attorney with a long career as a prosecutor in that district.

The indictment provides extensive detail, alleging Bolton shared more than 1,000 pages of material about day-to-day activities with two unnamed family members. It also claims he retained and shared sensitive information about foreign adversaries, including intelligence on sources and methods used by the U.S. government.

One document described a foreign adversary’s plans for a missile launch; another contained details about covert U.S. operations and attributed an attack to a foreign government, according to court records.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement:

“There is one tier of justice for all Americans. Anyone who abuses a position of power and jeopardises our national security will be held accountable. No one is above the law.”

Concerns about Bolton’s handling of classified material are not new. After leaving office, he published a 2020 memoir, The Room Where It Happened, which depicted the administration unfavorably and led to a lawsuit and Justice Department investigation.

Officials claimed the book contained classified material that could harm national security. Bolton’s legal team said the book underwent a pre-publication review and was cleared by a National Security Council official.

A previously unsealed affidavit said that official informed Bolton in 2020 the manuscript contained “significant amounts” of classified information, including material at the top-secret level.

Lowell has maintained that many of the documents seized in 2024 had already been reviewed and approved as part of that process. He also noted that many of them dated back decades, from Bolton’s service in roles such as assistant attorney general, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, and senior State Department official.

Bolton’s career includes service during the Reagan and George W. Bush administrations, where he became known for hardline foreign policy stances, including support for the Iraq war. In 2005, he was appointed ambassador to the United Nations via a recess appointment after failing to gain Senate confirmation.

In 2018, Bolton was appointed national security adviser. His time in the role was marked by clashes with the administration over Iran, North Korea, and Ukraine policy.

Those disagreements led to his departure in 2019. At the time, the administration announced it had accepted his resignation. In his 2020 book, Bolton criticised the administration’s approach to foreign policy, including allegations that aid to Ukraine was conditioned on investigations into a political rival:

Bolton subsequently criticised Trump’s approach to foreign policy and government in his 2020 book, including by alleging that Trump directly tied providing military aid to Ukraine to that country’s willingness to conduct investigations into Joe Biden.

In response, the administration dismissed Bolton’s allegations:

Trump responded by describing Bolton as a  warmonger who would have led the country into “World War Six.”

Trump also said at the time that the book contained “highly classified information” and that Bolton “did not have approval” for publishing it.