Politics

Justice Department Set to Indict John Bolton: What You Need to Know

DOJ to seek grand jury to indict John Bolton for allegedly mishandling classified info during his tenure.

October 16, 2025, 3:01 PM

A close-up, professional photograph of John Bolton smiling and adjusting his glasses while speaking at a podium on a stage with a dark background.

A photograph of John Bolton speaking at the 2017 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland. By Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ - John Bolton, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Executive Summary

The Justice Department is expected to request a federal grand jury in Maryland on Thursday to indict John Bolton, President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser.

The investigation focuses on Bolton’s alleged unlawful handling of classified information, including notes in an AOL email account summarizing his activities under President Trump.

FBI agents seized multiple documents labeled “secret,” “confidential,” and “classified,” some pertaining to weapons of mass destruction, from Bolton’s home and office.

The Story So Far

The Justice Department’s anticipated request for a federal grand jury to indict John Bolton stems from an ongoing investigation into his alleged unlawful handling of classified information during his time as President Trump’s national security adviser. This inquiry specifically scrutinizes notes Bolton kept in an AOL email account, which summarized his activities and included documents labeled “secret,” “confidential,” and “classified,” some pertaining to weapons of mass destruction, leading to earlier FBI searches and seizures.

Why This Matters

The anticipated grand jury request for John Bolton signals a serious legal challenge for President Trump’s former national security adviser, potentially leading to an indictment for his alleged unlawful handling of classified information, including sensitive WMD documents, and the use of personal email for official notes. This development underscores the Justice Department’s firm stance on safeguarding government secrets, even from high-ranking former officials, and could set a precedent for how such information is managed post-service.

Who Thinks What?

The Justice Department is anticipated to request a federal grand jury to indict John Bolton for alleged unlawful handling of classified information during his tenure as President Trump’s national security adviser.

John Bolton is accused of maintaining classified notes, some resembling diary entries, in an AOL email account and having documents labeled “secret,” “confidential,” and “classified” seized from his properties.

The Justice Department is anticipated to request a federal grand jury in Maryland on Thursday to indict John Bolton, President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser. The move follows an ongoing investigation into Bolton’s alleged unlawful handling of classified information during his tenure.

Investigation Details

Sources familiar with the matter have indicated that part of the Justice Department’s inquiry focuses on notes Bolton maintained in an AOL email account. These notes, at times resembling diary entries, summarized his activities while serving under President Trump.

Earlier this summer, FBI agents executed search warrants at Bolton’s Maryland home and Washington, D.C., office. Court records confirm that agents seized multiple documents during these searches.

These seized materials were labeled “secret,” “confidential,” and “classified,” with some specifically pertaining to weapons of mass destruction.

Key Development

The expected grand jury request marks a significant development in the Justice Department’s investigation into how Bolton managed sensitive government information.