John Bolton, Donald Trump's former national security adviser, has arrived at a federal court to surrender to authorities on charges of mishandling classified information.
The 18 charges stem from allegations he shared or retained sensitive materials, including some characterised as top secret.
Bolton served during Trump's first administration but parted with the White House contentiously, and has become one of the president's most vocal public critics.
The indictment makes Bolton, 76, the third of the US president's political opponents to face charges in recent weeks. Bolton has said he would defend his lawful conduct.
On Friday, Bolton did not respond to shouted questions from reporters as he entered the courthouse in Greenbelt, Maryland, to surrender to authorities.
He is expected to make an initial appearance before a judge and may have to stop for possible fingerprinting and booking photo, CBS News reported.
Prosecutors have accused Bolton of using personal messaging apps and email to illegally transmit sensitive information, claiming the documents revealed intelligence about future attacks, foreign adversaries, and diplomatic relations.
In response to the charges, Bolton contended he would defend his lawful conduct. He also remarked that he had become the latest target in weaponizing the Justice Department to charge those he [Trump] deems to be his enemies.
The indictment notes Bolton allegedly shared diary-like entries with unnamed individuals and used his personal email account to transmit messages containing sensitive materials.
Moreover, it states that between 2019 and 2021, Bolton was the target of a hacking attack from a cyber actor believed to be associated with the Islamic Republic of Iran who gained access to his account, exposing classified materials.
An indictment in the US justice system is a formal accusation issued by a grand jury to review evidence and determine if a case should proceed.
Bolton's handling of classified information has been under scrutiny since 2020, following his attempts to publish a book detailing his experiences in the Trump administration. The Justice Department tried to block this release, citing concerns about classified content.
A federal judge ultimately ruled against the government while admonishing Bolton, stating he had gambled with the national security of the United States. Investigations into Bolton's actions have persisted into the Biden administration.
