John Bolton pleads not guilty to charges of mishandling classified information

WASHINGTON — John Bolton, who served as national security adviser during Donald Trump’s first term before becoming a critic of the president, pleaded not guilty on Friday to charges of mishandling classified information

WASHINGTON — John Bolton, who served as national security adviser during Donald Trump’s first term before becoming a critic of the president, pleaded not guilty on Friday to charges of mishandling classified information.

A federal grand jury in Maryland charged Bolton Thursday with eight counts of transmission of national defense information and 10 counts of unlawful retention of that information. He faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine per count, and three years of special release.

Prosecutors allege that the former national security adviser transmitted national defense information using his personal email or a messaging application to send sensitive documents classified as Top Secret. The documents allegedly revealed intelligence about future attacks, foreign adversaries and foreign-policy relations.

John Bolton leaves his home in Bethesda, Md., on Friday.Alex Kent / Getty ImagesThe Justice Department also alleged that Bolton illegally retained documents containing national defense information within his home. These documents included intelligence on an adversary’s leaders as well as information revealing sources and collections used to obtain statements on a foreign adversary.

Bolton denied any wrongdoing in a statement on Thursday and said the charges were politically motivated. He said Trump sought "retribution" against him during his first term in the White House and continued after he tried to block publication of Bolton's book before the 2020 election.