John Bolton Republican or Democrat? All about ex-Trump NSA's political affiliation

Former Trump administration national security adviser John Bolton was charged Thursday with illegally storing and transmitting classified information

Published on: Oct 17, 2025, 02:48:46 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Former Trump administration national security adviser John Bolton was charged Thursday with illegally storing and transmitting classified information. According to court records, the indictment comes after court documents made public last month revealed that Bolton was under federal investigation for potential mishandling.

Former National Security Advisor John Bolton answers journalists questions after his meeting with Belarus President in Minsk (AFP)

The investigation into Bolton, who served for more than a year in President Donald Trump's first administration before being fired in 2019, burst into public view in August when the FBI searched his home in Maryland and his office in Washington for classified records he may have held onto from his years in government.

Is John Bolton a Republican or a Democrat?

Bolton is unequivocally a Republican. The attorney, diplomat, and political commentator has been a fixture in Republican circles for decades, serving in high-level roles under every GOP administration since Ronald Reagan.

Born on November 20, 1948, in Baltimore, Maryland, Bolton graduated from Yale University with a B.A. in 1970 and a JD in 1974. His career began in the Reagan administration as a special assistant to the Assistant Secretary of State for International Economic Policy, followed by roles in the George H.W. Bush administration at the State Department.

Under George W. Bush, he served as Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security (2001-2005) and was recess-appointed as US Ambassador to the United Nations (2005-2006). Bolton rejoined the executive branch in 2018 as Trump's National Security Adviser, a post he held until his resignation in September 2019 amid policy clashes, including over Ukraine aid.

He has been a key figure in conservative think tanks like the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where he was a vice president from 1997-2001, and the Project for the New American Century, co-founded in 1997 to advocate for US military primacy.

(With inputs from the Associated Press)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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