NBC News reported today that John Bolton, the national security advisor during Trump's first term, is expected to face federal criminal charges.
The media source said that the relevant charges could be filed as early as next week or even earlier. The case is being prepared by prosecutors in Maryland, where Bolton resides.
In August this year, the FBI searched his home in Maryland and his Washington office, part of a national security investigation focusing on his possible handling of classified documents.
NBC reported that investigators are checking whether Bolton may have leaked these classified materials to the media. Bolton served as the national security advisor during Trump's first presidential term.
After the January 6th event in 2021, when Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol, Bolton became one of the most vocal critics of Trump, and continued to criticize him after Trump returned to the presidency.
Previously, Bolton had predicted that Trump would "give up Ukraine for the Nobel Peace Prize," but this prediction did not come true—because the president did not win the award.
Comment: The federal criminal charges facing Bolton center around the improper handling and potential leaking of classified documents, which directly relates to the FBI's search of his residence and office in August. It is worth noting that similar investigations into classified documents are not uncommon in American politics, but the fact that the preparation of these charges has been exposed highlights the sensitivity of the incident.
The special background of the event has intensified external controversy. As a core critic who turned against Trump during his administration, Bolton not only wrote a book accusing Trump of "ignorance of foreign policy," but also continued to criticize his policies on Ukraine after Trump returned to the presidency. Although Vice President Vance claimed the investigation was "driven by law," Democratic state legislators in Maryland pointed out that this move aligns with "political retaliation," raising doubts about the neutrality of judicial actions.
Bolton's situation is not an isolated case; media outlets have already pointed out that the Trump administration is intensifying its investigations into political opponents, and former CIA directors and other critics may be the next targets. His series of experiences illustrate that as the two parties in the United States are becoming more confrontational, it is unclear whether the actions are aimed at "dealing with political opponents" or "following the law." This has made it more evident that the contradiction between "daring to criticize the powerful" and "being retaliated against by the powerful" is increasingly prominent in American democracy.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1845736685488263/
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