Federal prosecutors in Maryland are preparing to request a grand jury indictment of John Bolton, the former national security adviser to President Donald Trump. This request is expected to be made on Thursday and centers on allegations of Bolton's mishandling of classified documents.

The anticipated indictment follows recent charges against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Critics have described these actions as part of a broader campaign of retribution by Trump against those he perceives as political adversaries.

Bolton has been a frequent target of Trump's criticism since leaving the administration and publishing a memoir titled "The Room Where It Happened." In August, federal agents conducted searches of Bolton's residence in Maryland and his office in Washington, D.C., as part of the investigation into his handling of classified information. Bolton has consistently denied any wrongdoing, asserting that he did not unlawfully remove classified materials from his government service and that no such information was included in his book.

The investigation is being led by the U.S. attorney's office in Maryland, which differs from the inquiries into Comey and James, conducted by a Trump-appointed U.S. attorney in Virginia. Sources indicate that the charges against Comey and James were brought against the advice of career prosecutors.

Comey faces charges of lying to Congress, while James is charged with mortgage fraud. Both have denied any wrongdoing. Recently, a federal judge unsealed a redacted affidavit related to the search of Bolton's home, which primarily addressed allegations concerning the publication of his memoir. The judge expressed serious concerns about whether Bolton's book contained highly classified information that could jeopardize national security.

On the day of the searches, Trump claimed he was "unaware" of the actions but referred to Bolton as a "sleazebag." He also commented on the discomfort of having one's home searched, drawing a parallel to the FBI's search of his Mar-a-Lago residence in 2022 regarding his own classified documents case.

In June 2023, Trump pleaded not guilty to 40 criminal counts related to his handling of classified materials after leaving the White House in 2021. Prosecutors allege that he repeatedly refused to return hundreds of classified documents and took steps to obstruct the government's efforts to retrieve them. Following Trump's reelection in November, the case against him was dropped due to a longstanding Justice Department policy that prevents the prosecution of a sitting president.

In a June 2022 interview, Trump stated about Bolton, "He took classified information and he published it, during a presidency. It's one thing to write a book after. During. And I believe that he's a criminal, and I believe, frankly, he should go to jail for that, and that probably, possibly will happen. That's what should happen."