Ex-Trump adviser John Bolton indicted for mishandling classified information

John Bolton, US President Donald Trump's onetime national security adviser turned critic, was charged with mishandling classified information.

Bolton was indicted on Thursday in federal court in Maryland on eight counts of transmitting national security information and 10 counts of retention of national defence information.

"Bolton abused his position as National Security Advisor by sharing more than a thousand pages of information about his day-to-day activities as the National Security Advisor — including information relating to the national defence which was classified up to the top secret/SCI level — with two unauthorised individuals," prosecutors wrote in the indictment.

"Bolton also unlawfully retained documents, writings, and notes relating to the national defence, including information classified up to the top secret/SCI level, in his home in Montgomery County, Maryland," they added.

Asked about the charges, Trump said he was unaware of the matter, but said Bolton is a "bad person."

"I think he's a bad guy. Yeah, he's a bad guy. It's too bad, but that's the way it goes," he said during a White House press conference.

'Meticulous work'

The filing of charges against Bolton came after the FBI raided Bolton's home in the Maryland suburbs outside of Washington, DC, in which federal investigators seized cell phones, documents, digital storage devices and other items.

The charges against Bolton came after two other focuses of Trump's consternation — New York Attorney General Letitia James and ex-FBI Director James Comey — were also indicted.

FBI Director Kash Patel appeared to push back on any suggestion that the charges against Bolton are politically-motivated, saying in a statement that "the case was based on meticulous work from dedicated career professionals at the FBI who followed the facts without fear or favor."

"Weaponisation of justice will not be tolerated, and this FBI will stop at nothing to bring to justice anyone who threatens our national security," he said.

US Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland said that keeping Americans safe has always been the top priority of the US Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland.

"If anyone endangers our national security, we're committed to holding them accountable."

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Source: TRT