Former Trump adviser John Bolton could soon face federal indictment, sources say

A former national security adviser to US President Donald Trump and current outspoken critic is reportedly facing imminent federal criminal charges, according to two federal officials familiar with the investigation.

One official indicated that John Bolton could face indictment as early as next week, while the other said it could happen in the near future. The potential charges would be filed by the U.S. attorney's office in Maryland, where Bolton resides, according to the officials, as reported by MSNBC news.

In August, the FBI searched Bolton's residence in Maryland and his office in Washington, DC. A source familiar with the matter told NBC News that the searches were part of a "national security investigation in search of classified records."

Bolton's lawyer, Abbe Lowell, said the former adviser handled the records properly, noting that many were cleared years ago through a pre-publication review for Bolton's bestselling book, The Room Where It Happened. He added that such documents, some over 20 years old, are typical for a longtime official with Bolton's career history.

A spokesman for the Justice Department said: "As a matter of law, we will not discuss any grand jury matters with the media, but this Justice Department is united as one team in our mission to make America safe again."

Bolton, who served as Trump's national security adviser during his first term, left amid controversy. The searches targeted his handling of classified materials and possible leaks to the media, part of a criminal investigation that began under the Biden administration. Recently released search warrant affidavits cited potential Espionage Act violations, including unauthorized possession and sharing of national defense information.

In June 2020, Trump called for Bolton to be prosecuted after he published a book critical of his former boss. Trump told Fox News: "He released massive amounts of classified, and confidential, but classified information. That's illegal and you go to jail for that."

Bolton said he got clearance for the material in the book.

Bolton would be the third Trump critic to face criminal charges since late September, following former FBI Director James Comey, indicted for false statements to Congress and obstruction, and New York Attorney General Letitia James, indicted Thursday on a bank fraud charge.

Noting Trump's many fierce vows to go after his enemies, and public calls for charges to be filed against them, critics of Trump say the charges amount to a weaponization of the Justice Department to harm the president's critics.

Comey's lawyers have signaled that they will seek dismissal of the charges based on Trump's own statements, claiming the charges represent vindictive and selective prosecution.