EXPLAINED: Fmr. Trump national security adviser John Bolton indicted

John Bolton, the former national security adviser to President Donald Trump, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Maryland. In a statement, John Bolton denied any wrongdoing and said the indictment was politically motivated: "These charges are not just about his focus on me or my diaries, but his intensive effort to intimidate his opponents, to ensure that he alone determines what is said about his conduct," Bolton said. MSNBC Senior Investigative Correspondent Carol Leonnig breaks down the case and how it differs from Trump's other recent targets.Oct. 17, 2025