00:04Former National Security Advisor John Bolton vowed to fight the federal charges brought against him,
00:09accusing President Donald Trump of abusing government power to punish his critics.
00:14News.com has learned that the indictment represents the latest escalation in a long-running feud between Trump and one of his most outspoken former aides.
00:23A Maryland grand jury indicted Bolton on eight counts of transmitting national defense information and ten counts of retaining it.
00:30The case followed an FBI raid on his home last August,
00:34reportedly tied to classified notes and documents he emailed to himself while serving in the Trump administration.
00:40Bolton has denied any wrongdoing, insisting that his handling of materials was cleared by appropriate officials
00:46and that no charges were ever filed during the previous administration.
00:50In a statement shared by CNN's Caitlin Collins, Bolton declared his innocence and accused Trump of retribution.
00:58I look forward to the fight to defend my lawful conduct and to expose his abuse of power, he said.
01:03He argued that the indictment was part of a broader pattern of weaponizing the Justice Department,
01:08claiming,
01:09I have become the latest target in weaponizing the Justice Department to charge those he deems to be his enemies.
01:15Bolton resigned from his post in September 2019 following disputes over foreign policy and subsequently became a harsh critic of Trump.
01:24His book, The Room Where It Happened, revealed internal conflicts in the White House, leading Trump to attempt to block its publication.
01:31Bolton said those efforts marked the beginning of Trump's campaign of retribution that has now culminated in the indictment.
01:37The charges against Bolton have reignited debate over Trump's influence on federal institutions.
01:43Critics argue the case exemplifies the risks of politicizing law enforcement under his leadership.
01:49Bolton framed the indictment as an attack on dissent, writing,
01:52dissent and disagreement are foundational to America's constitutional system.
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