John Bolton Set To Face National Security Charges Next Week

John Bolton expected to be charged criminally as soon as next week

John Bolton, President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, could face criminal charges as soon as next week, MSNBC investigative journalist Carol Leonnig reported Friday afternoon while on air. The case has been under grand jury review in Maryland for several weeks.

People familiar with the matter say the acting U.S. attorney in Maryland is preparing to move forward with charging decisions. Investigators are examining whether Bolton improperly possessed classified national security information stored at his Maryland home.

Bolton was dismissed by Trump during his first administration and later became a persistent critic of the former president. That sequence has made the probe especially sensitive among conservatives who worry about selective enforcement of the law.

On Sept. 22 the FBI carried out a surprise search at Bolton’s Bethesda residence, an operation described at the time as seeking suspected classified records based on information from the CIA and approved by a federal judge. The raid intensified questions about procedure, timing and how national security probes are handled.

Bolton’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, insists his client did nothing improper and says the items with classified markings originated during Bolton’s service as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush. Lowell has argued these sorts of documents are commonly kept by long-time government officials keeping archives.

From a Republican standpoint, the core concern is straightforward: are the rules being enforced equally or being used against political opponents? The secrecy around grand jury work and the speed of developments have only amplified those concerns.

Legally, prosecutors must show unlawful retention or willful mishandling of classified material rather than ordinary archival practice. Grand juries decide whether probable cause exists, and indictment is the next step, not a conviction.

If charges are returned, expect aggressive pretrial litigation over classification, privilege and whether proper procedures were followed in the search and any subsequent handling of materials. Those fights often shape public understanding more than the initial headlines.

The political fallout will be immediate and loud. Critics on the right see a pattern of law enforcement actions tied to political disputes, while others say enforcing national security laws must be blind to partisan identity.

How the court treats claims about the origin and handling of the documents will be pivotal, and the government will need clear proof to carry its case beyond an indictment. The issues at stake include intent, statutory control over classified material, and established privilege rules.

After an indictment, the usual next steps are an arraignment and a discovery phase where both sides exchange evidence; much of the early fight will be procedural and technical. Prosecutors will likely rely on sealed filings to protect sources and classified processes while defense teams push for disclosure.

Expect court filings and headlines early next week.

Conservatives will press for transparency about the scope of the search and the government’s evidence; they’ll want to know why the probe moved this far. Congressional oversight hearings could follow if questions about equal application of the law persist.

More to come as filings appear.