Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, John Bolton, should recognize his guilt in a case linked to the withholding of national defense documents, according to several American media citing sources close to the matter. On Thursday, a Maryland court set a new indictment hearing for June 26, hinting at a change in the former senior official’s legal strategy.
Aged 77, John Bolton was indicted in October for disclosure and withholding documents relating to national defense. After initially pleading not guilty, he is now expected to admit to illegal retention of classified documents, an offense punishable by five years in prison. According to CNN and other media, he would also agree to pay a fine of more than $2 million.
Accused of sharing secret information
The prosecution accuses him of having “abused his position as national security advisor by sharing more than a thousand pages of documents on his daily activities” with two relatives who did not have security clearance. According to several media, these people are his wife and daughter. The information was allegedly transmitted via unsecured personal email accounts.
The file also mentions that in July 2021, a representative of John Bolton reported to the FBI that one of his email accounts had been hacked after his departure from the government by a hacker he believed to be linked to Iran. According to the prosecution, the former advisor “at no time” informed the authorities that he had shared “information relating to national defense, including classified information” on this account. Neither told the FBI that the hackers now had this information.”
Un opposant virulent à Donald Trump
John Bolton established himself as one of Donald Trump’s most virulent critics after leaving the White House. In June 2020, he published a book devoted to his 17 months spent as national security adviser, in which he described the American president as “unfit” to lead the United States.
Our file on the United States
According to the text provided, in October John Bolton became the third personality targeted by Donald Trump to be indicted since the latter’s return to the White House, after former FBI director James Comey and the Attorney General of the State of New York, Letitia James. The proceedings against the latter two were canceled in November before a new indictment targeted James Comey in April for alleged threats against “the life and physical integrity” of the American president.
