Bolton book can be released, but conduct 'raises grave national security concerns'

Bolton can publish book, judge rules

June 20, 2020, 2:59 PM

4 min read

4 min read

A federal judge ruled Saturday that former national security adviser John Bolton may move forward in publishing his memoir "The Room Where It Happened," while at the same time arguing Bolton's conduct in releasing the book "raises grave national security concerns."

"For reasons that hardly need to be stated, the Court will not order a nationwide seizure and destruction of a political memoir.," D.C. district judge Royce Lamberth said in his ruling Friday. "In taking it upon himself to publish his book without securing final approval from national intelligence authorities, Bolton may indeed have caused the country irreparable harm. But in the Internet age, even a handful of copies in circulation could irrevocably destroy confidentiality."

A copy of the book, "The Room Where It Happened," by former national security adviser John Bolton, is photographed outside the White House, June 18, 2020.

The ruling is only a temporary victory for Bolton, in that the civil case brought by the government against him over his alleged breach of his non-disclosure agreement remains ongoing. In his ruling, Lamberth strongly indicates Bolton's hopes of keeping profits from the book are not only endangered, but he could potentially face criminal prosecution for disclosure of classified information.

"This was Bolton’s bet: If he is right and the book does not contain classified information, he keeps the upside mentioned above; but if he is wrong, he stands to lose his profits from the book deal, exposes himself to criminal liability, and imperils national security. Bolton was wrong," Lamberth says.

Former U.S. national security advisor John Bolton speaks during his lecture at Duke University in Durham, NC., Feb. 17, 2020.

Lamberth, who was given a private review Friday of information identified by the government in Bolton's book that it has argued remains classified, said in his ruling that the review left him "persuaded that Defendant Bolton likely jeopardized national security by disclosing classified information in violation of his nondisclosure agreement obligations."

An attorney for Bolton did not immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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