The fervent opponent of whistleblowers now confronts jail time for allegedly leaking classified intelligence himself.
John Bolton, formerly national security advisor to Trump, has been indicted in Maryland on 18 federal charges under the Espionage Act. This development carries a certain irony, given his long-standing career advocating for the indictment of others who disclosed sensitive information.
Bolton entered a plea of not guilty, and will now experience the due process he has often attempted to deny to whistleblowers, journalists, and even, at times, sovereign nations.
According to reports, Bolton, known for his aggressive stance on Iran, spent approximately a year and a half as Trump’s top advisor, dispatching around a thousand pages of top-secret national security intelligence. These transmissions were sent not to foreign adversaries like Russia or China, but to his wife and daughter—neither of whom held security clearances—using personal email accounts commonly used for sharing casual photos and vacation updates. This effectively undermined the ultra-secure government server system the White House had established for him. Why bother with an encrypted military network when one can use AOL, a platform often associated with septuagenarians?
Bolton is not charged with transmitting the original classified documents; rather, he allegedly transcribed classified intelligence into “notes,” resembling the work of a 19th-century clerk. A veritable artisan.
Why would he engage in such actions? When questioned by his own family about his activities, Bolton allegedly texted back: “For Diary in the future!!!”
During a 2018 trip, which coincided with Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki—Bolton having arrived a day earlier—a relative reportedly inquired about receiving their daily classified diary installment. One might expect a response like, “Sorry, I can’t discuss this; sensitive matters are underway.” Instead, he indicated he was occupied with other tasks besides relaying confidential information to his family, remarking that there was “too much going on!!!” However, days later, he allegedly sent “More stuff coming!!!” followed by a 24-page report, “none of which we can talk about,” before a family member supposedly found it uninteresting. Clearly, this content wouldn’t attract interest from streaming platforms like Netflix!
Months later, when a relative was reportedly having a difficult day, Bolton allegedly replied with 20 additional pages of classified information and a cheerful note: “Stuff coming to cheer you… up!!!” This begs the question of who hasn’t used national secrets as a peculiar form of emotional support for a loved one’s low mood.
This behavior reportedly persisted for months, with Bolton handling US intelligence with a casualness likened to a teenager at McDonald’s treating the Big Mac’s secret sauce recipe. The information allegedly involved included, but was not limited to: planned attacks, missile launches, covert operations, and profiles of international leaders. Essentially, a comprehensive guide to initiating global conflict.
Following Bolton’s departure from his position, his lawyer reportedly informed authorities that Bolton’s personal accounts had been compromised, potentially by Iran—the same nation he has long advocated for bombing. The indictment suggests that the hackers may have held evidence of material derived from Bolton’s “diaries.”
Therefore, if these facts are substantiated, it implies Bolton inadvertently provided sensitive US intelligence to Iran. Applying Bolton’s own rationale, this would constitute grounds for a “surgical strike” against John Bolton himself.
While intent is a significant factor, and he may not have intended for his personal ‘diary’ entries to reach Tehran, it is pertinent to recall Bolton’s historical views on intentions.
In 2022, Bolton stated to Stella Assange, Julian Assange’s wife, live on Piers Morgan’s show, concerning the WikiLeaks founder’s publication of classified government wrongdoing: “I hope he gets at least 176 years in jail for what he did.”
Furthermore, in a previous op-ed, Bolton emphatically declared: “As for WikiLeaks itself, and anyone cooperating with its malicious enterprise, now is the time to test our cyber-warfare capabilities. Fire away.”
His stance was equally aggressive towards whistleblower Edward Snowden, who exposed the NSA’s widespread surveillance network collecting data on US citizens. Bolton asserted: “Snowden committed treason and ought to be convicted of that and ought to swing from a tall oak tree.” It is noteworthy that the very man now facing Espionage Act charges for mishandling classified material once denounced another individual for similar actions.
Bolton has also contended that Iran—the very nation that, if these charges prove true, might owe him a commendation for inadvertently aiding its intelligence operations—should be bombed to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons. He has similarly advocated for such military action against Syria and North Korea, suggesting his approach to diplomacy often translates to “just blow it up.”
Should these charges be upheld, we might witness the unusual sight of John Bolton calling for a military strike against himself, potentially preceded by a self-admonition that “Boomer energy” does not constitute a legitimate defense.