John Bolton: Former National Security Adviser Officially Indicted, What’s Going On?

Liputan6.com, Jakarta Former United States National Security Advisor John Bolton faced serious charges in October 2025.

He was indicted on charges related to the unauthorized possession and dissemination of national defense information.

As reported by BBC, prosecutors accused Bolton of 18 criminal counts.

The charges included eight counts of unauthorized dissemination of national defense information and ten counts of unauthorized possession of such information.

The lengthy and complex investigation ultimately led to formal indictments by the Department of Justice.

Justice Department Statements Regarding Indictment of Former National Security Advisor John Bolton https://t.co/lrNzDZqzvi @FBIBaltimore pic.twitter.com/yLcEqSjkLF

— FBI (@FBI) October 16, 2025

John Bolton now faces 18 very serious criminal charges.

According to a 26-page indictment filed at a court in Greenbelt, Maryland, on Thursday, Bolton is charged with eight counts of transmission of national defence information (NDI) and 10 counts of unlawful retention of NDI.

These include future attack plans, detailed profiles of enemy leaders, and details of highly classified U.S. foreign policy relationships.

Prosecutors allege that Bolton transmitted the classified information through personal email and messaging apps.

The intensive FBI investigation included searches of Bolton’s home and office in August 2025, after the case stemmed from a 2020 memoir controversy and a 2021 cyber hack by Iranian operatives.

If convicted, Bolton could face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for each charge.

US Attorney General Pam Bondi emphasized that no one is above the law, and those who abuse their power will be held accountable.

President Donald Trump even called Bolton a “bad guy” and a “bad guy” in response to the indictment.

BREAKING: Former Trump NSA advisor and frequent critic John Bolton has just been indicted. After targeting him and other “enemies,” Trump says “He’s a bad guy. Too bad. That’s the way it goes.”America is now a banana republic.pic.twitter.com/RqZg1WE5ze

— Really American 🇺🇸 (@ReallyAmerican1) October 16, 2025

John Robert Bolton is a well-known figure in American politics and diplomacy.

He works as a lawyer, diplomat, Republican consultant, and political commentator.

Born on November 20, 1948, in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, Bolton attended the McDonogh School and Yale University, earning a BA in 1970 and a JD in 1974.

Politically, Bolton is affiliated with the Republican Party and is known for his strong views.

His political views are often described as American nationalist, conservative, and neoconservative, although he rejects the latter term.

His government career began during the Ronald Reagan administration, serving as Assistant Attorney General for the Legislative Division (1985–1988) and the Civil Division (1988–1989).

Then, under the George H.W. Bush administration, he served as Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs (1989–1993).

During the George W. Bush administration, Bolton held the important position of Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security (2001–2005).

He also served as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (2005–2006) through a recess appointment.

Ultimately, he served as the 26th U.S. National Security Advisor under Donald Trump (April 2018–September 2019), where he played a key role in shaping foreign policy, including advocating for tough sanctions against Iran and Venezuela.

In addition to his government career, John Bolton is also active as a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) and a commentator for Fox News Channel.

He is also the author of the best-selling book “The Room Where It Happened.”

Bolton also served as Director of Foreign and Defense Policy Studies for the American Institute of Economic and Social Studies (AEI) from 2010 to 2018.