Bolton Pleads Not Guilty to Charges Over Classified Material

Bolton Indicted Over Handling of Classified Documents

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By Chris Strohm and Benjamin Penn (Bloomberg Law)

October 16, 2025 at 8:33 PM UTC

Updated on

October 17, 2025 at 4:46 PM UTC

Former national security adviser John Bolton pleaded not guilty Friday at a Maryland federal courthouse to charges that he allegedly mishandled classified materials.

The US Justice Department has charged Bolton, a former top aide to President Donald Trump during his first term, with breaking laws related to the transmission or retention of national defense information. The charges were unveiled in an 18-count indictment made public Thursday.