(MENAFN- Live Mint) The United States Department of Justice, headed by US attorney general Pam Bondi, has sought the indictment of former national security adviser to President Donald Trump who became one of his fiercest critics, John Bolton, over mishandling of classified documents.

The potential indictment follows the release of court documents last month showing that Bolton was under federal investigation for possible mishandling of classified information.

The exact details of the charges prosecutors plan to pursue have not been disclosed.

According to sources quoted by Bloomberg, the US attorney's office in Greenbelt, Md., will pursue charges related to Bolton's handling of classified documents.

Also Read | With thousands of jobs gone, defiant Democrats say they won't be cowed by Trump

If John Bolton is indicted, it would be third time in recent weeks that the Justice Department has secured criminal charges against one of the Republican president's critics.

Bolton's possible indictment is being handled by Thomas Sullivan, a career federal prosecutor in Maryland. Sullivan is an experienced assistant US attorney and head of the Maryland office's national security section.

John Bolton has denied the allegations.

Also Read | India should see Trump as 'one-time proposition': Ex-US NSA John Bolton flags 'number of concerns on Indian side'

The case marks an escalation in Trump's retribution campaign against some of his fiercest critics and follows recent indictments of former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James (D), both of whom have denied the allegations and said they will fight them in court.

John Bolton had served as the US ambassador to the United Nations as well as White House national security adviser during Trump's first term before emerging as one of the president's most vocal critics. He described Trump as unfit to be president in a memoir he released last year.

Also Read | Trump's tariffs 'shredded' US efforts to realign India away from Moscow, says his former advisor

The charges against John Bolton, leading to his indictment, have come shortly after the Justice Department indicted former FBI director James Comey. He is accused of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution.

James Comey had investigated Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, while New York Attorney General Letitia James had previously filed a civil fraud case against Trump and his family's real estate business.

Comey, whom Trump fired in 2017, has pleaded not guilty to charges of making false statements to Congress and obstruction of Congress.

(With agency inputs)

MENAFN16102025007365015876ID1110207901