John Bolton Surrenders to Answer Allegations of Sharing Classified Information
Donald Trump's former national security adviser, who worked in the first Trump administration, has arrived at a federal court to turn himself in to law enforcement facing accusations of improperly handling sensitive documents.
The 18 charges stem from claims that he shared or kept confidential documents, comprising some characterised as top secret.
Bolton, that parted with the administration contentiously, has emerged as one of the president's strongest outspoken opponents.
The indictment makes Bolton, 76, the latest of the US president's political opponents to face charges in the past few days.
Initial Hearing
On the end of the week, Bolton did not respond to reporters' inquiries as he walked into the courthouse in a Maryland city to submit to authorities.
He is expected to make an first court hearing before a magistrate and may have to visit the federal marshals' facility for "potential" printing and booking photo.
Government's Claims
Prosecutors have accused Bolton of using private communication tools and electronic mail to wrongfully share classified data.
"The materials revealed intelligence about future attacks, foreign adversaries, and diplomatic ties," prosecutors wrote.
Addressing the charges, Bolton said he would justify his "lawful conduct".
He stated he had "become the most recent focus in using the federal prosecutors to accuse those he [Trump] considers to be his opponents with allegations that were rejected earlier or misrepresent the truth."
Specific Accusations
The formal charges issued this week accused Bolton of sharing "diary-like entries" with two unidentified persons, and using his personal email account to transmit communications with confidential information.
The indictment also states that between a two-year period, Bolton was allegedly the victim of a hacking attack from a "digital entity thought to be associated with the Islamic Republic of Iran" that breached his account, exposing the sensitive documents.
Previous Scrutiny
Bolton has been scrutinised for his management of classified information since two years ago, when he attempted to release a memoir about his tenure in the first Trump administration.
The federal prosecutors tried to halt the book's release, claiming it could include sensitive material.
A federal judge ruled against the government, but criticized Bolton in his decision, stating he had "taken risks with the national security of the United States".
An investigation into Bolton continued into the current presidency.
Legal Process
An formal charge in the US justice system is a formal accusation delivered by a public panel - a body of members of the public established by a government lawyer to examine proof to decide if a case should move forward.
