Bolton pleads not guilty to charges of sharing classified information

Former US National Security Adviser John Bolton has been indicted on 18 counts of mishandling classified information, pleading not guilty to the charges. The indictment, issued this week, accuses Bolton of sharing "diary-like entries" with two unnamed individuals and using his personal email account to transmit messages containing sensitive materials.

Bolton's defense team maintains that his actions were lawful conduct, describing the records in question as "unclassified, shared only with his immediate family, and known to the FBI since 2021". His attorney, Abbe Lowell, described the situation, saying Bolton was a victim of a hacking attack from a cyber actor believed to be associated with Iran.

Bolton faces significant scrutiny over his handling of classified information since 2020. At that time, he sought to publish a book about his time in Donald Trump's first administration, which the Justice Department attempted to block due to potential classified information. However, a federal judge ultimately ruled against the government, rebuking Bolton for "gambling with the national security of the United States".

The case has brought new attention to the contentious relationship between former US Presidents and their advisors. Donald Trump frequently attacked Bolton on social media and publicly criticized him as his most vocal public critic.

Bolton's indictment follows recent charges against two other Trump associates, ex-FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. The Justice Department has taken a firmer stance in pursuing charges against its perceived enemies, highlighting the ongoing tensions between the US Justice Department and the Trump administration.

The case will be heard again on November 21st as Bolton awaits his next court hearing, where he is scheduled to appear.

omg this is like something out of a spy movie lol i mean who tries to hack into their own email account to send classified info ? seems like Bolton was already in trouble and then he goes and does some shady stuff but on the other hand if abbe lowell's saying it was a hacking attack from iran then that's a whole different story i'm not sure what to think about this one, it's like we're living in a real-life game of cat and mouse between the justice department and trump loyalists

I think it's fascinating how this indictment has shed light on the complexities of information sharing within classified contexts . The notion that someone like John Bolton, who was supposedly privy to sensitive information, could inadvertently (or intentionally) compromise national security by using a personal email account is quite disturbing .

It raises questions about accountability and the blurred lines between personal and professional conduct when it comes to handling classified materials . The fact that his defense team claims he was hacked by a cyber actor from Iran adds a layer of intrigue, but one can't help but wonder if this is merely an attempt to deflect blame .

As we watch this case unfold, I find myself pondering the larger implications for US presidential administrations and their relationships with advisors . The tension between loyalty and duty can be a treacherous tightrope to walk, especially when it comes to matters of national security . Will we see more high-profile cases like this in the future? Only time will tell .

omg what's going on with john bolton?? i mean idk about all these classified info things... is it like a big deal or something? i remember reading about him being a diplomat or something and then suddenly being the nsa lol how does that work? did he get in trouble before for something similar? and what's with trump attacking him online? didn't they used to be friends or something? anyway, this whole thing is kinda confusing... can someone explain it to me like i'm 5?

so this john bolton guy is having a rough time right now... like, he's being indicted for mishandling classified info which is super serious stuff and he's claiming that someone hacked into his email or something? it's all kinda confusing tbh...

i mean, i get why trump would wanna attack him on social media though... they were like total opposites, you know? but in all seriousness, this whole thing is bringing up some valid questions about how classified info gets handled in the us government... especially when ppl are trying to publish books or do whatever it is they want to do

anywayz, we'll have to wait and see what happens next on november 21st but for now, it's all a bit of a mess

Aw man, this whole thing sounds like a huge stress fest for John Bolton... I can imagine how tough it must be for him right now, knowing he's being investigated and all those charges are piling up. It's crazy that he thinks someone hacked into his email account to steal sensitive info, though... That does sound like a really scary experience.

But at the same time, it's wild that this whole thing started because he wanted to publish a book about his time in the White House... I get why he might want to tell his story, but you'd think the Justice Department would've been more careful. It just feels like there are so many people involved and so much at stake here.

Anyway, I'm sending you all my positive vibes, John Bolton! You're going through a tough time, but hopefully things will get sorted out soon and you'll be able to focus on your next move without all the drama.

omg can you believe this?? John Bolton gets indicted for sharing classified info with ppl and now hes saying hes a victim of hacking how do we know theres no truth to it? but still its a huge deal - I mean who shares diary entries about sensitive stuff with anyone? anyway, it just goes to show how messy the Trump era was - all these people got in trouble for basically doing their jobs and speaking out...