Former National Security Adviser John Bolton has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of mishandling classified national defense information, marking another high-profile prosecution targeting one of President Trump’s outspoken critics.

According to the indictment, prosecutors allege that from April 2018 through August of this year, Bolton “abused his position” by sharing over a thousand pages of sensitive information from his time as national security adviser with two individuals who were personally connected to him but lacked security clearances. The materials, described as “diary-like entries,” contained top secret details related to U.S. national defense and were allegedly transmitted through personal email accounts and non-government messaging platforms.

The charging documents emphasize that Bolton was never authorized to store or transmit the classified data on personal devices and that the recipients had no clearance or legal authority to access it. “At no point did Bolton have authorization to share or retain the classified information he transmitted to Individuals 1 and 2,” prosecutors wrote. “Nor were those individuals permitted to receive or store such information.”

The case took an unusual turn in 2021 when a representative for Bolton informed the FBI that one of his personal accounts appeared to have been hacked by an Iranian actor. According to the indictment, the hacker sent a message claiming, “This could be the biggest scandal since Hillary Clinton’s emails—but this time on the GOP side.”

Bolton now faces 18 counts in total—eight for the unlawful transmission of national defense information and ten for its unauthorized retention. The charges add to a growing list of criminal cases involving figures who have publicly clashed with Trump, fueling debate over whether the prosecutions reflect legitimate national security concerns or politically motivated retribution.

The indictment represents a significant escalation in the Justice Department’s enforcement actions under the Trump administration, underscoring how classified information cases continue to ensnare senior officials—even those who once held the nation’s highest security clearances.