The complicated but unsettling indictment of John Bolton
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Welcome to The Logoff: President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, John Bolton, was indicted today on charges of mishandling classified documents.
What did Bolton allegedly do? Bolton was indicted on 18 separate counts of retention and transmission of classified material, which center on “diary-like” notes Bolton shared by email with two individuals, reportedly his wife and daughter. In August, FBI agents raided his house and reportedly seized documents with classification markings.
What’s the context? Bolton has a career in Republican politics stretching back to the Reagan administration and served as President George W. Bush’s ambassador to the United Nations. He was Trump’s national security adviser in 2018 and 2019, but departed the post on bad terms.
The Trump-Bolton relationship grew worse after a book by Bolton featured prominently in Trump’s first impeachment trial. Bolton faced a federal criminal investigation for potentially disclosing classified information in the book, which was subsequently closed under the Biden administration.
Is this another political prosecution? This case looks different from the indictments of former FBI Director James Comey and New York state Attorney General Letitia James in recent weeks.
While the Comey and James prosecutions are transparently political, the investigation into Bolton predates the second Trump administration and appears to have more substance. A career prosecutor — rather than a handpicked Trump loyalist — presented the charges to a grand jury.
There’s still reason to see political intent, however: Trump has long wanted to go after Bolton, and senior Justice Department officials reportedly pressured prosecutors to bring this indictment quickly.
What’s the big picture? Mishandling classified documents is extremely common for former government officials; in 2023, National Archives officials said every president since Reagan has done so — including Trump, who was eventually charged only after repeated efforts by the government to reclaim classified materials. The specific details of Bolton’s case aside, the possibility of selective prosecution for documents cases could signal further weaponization of the Justice Department under Trump.
And with that, it’s time to log off…
My colleague Sigal Samuel writes a great recurring advice column, Your Mileage May Vary. I really enjoyed her latest edition, a thoughtful response to a question about separating art from the artist and how — or whether — to enjoy works from problematic artists. You can read it here. Have a great evening!