On June 16, the Trump administration urged a federal judge to order John Bolton to stop publication of his new book that revolves around his White House tenure. The Trump administration claimed in a lawsuit that the former National Security Advisor has breached non-disclosure agreements and was jeopardizing national security by making classified information available to the public through his book.
Filed in Washington, DC, federal court, the suit claims Bolton's manuscript that comprises over 500 pages, was teeming with classified information, and prosecutors even accused him of avoiding a progressing White House vetting process for his new book, something Bolton was required to do as part of the agreements.
Bolton made an agreement with the United States as part of his employment, which is touted as one of the most sensitive national security positions in the U.S. Government and is now bent on breaking that agreement by independently deciding that the prepublication review process is finished and deciding by himself whether or not classified information should be made available to the public. The White House and Bolton have been engaged in a month-long battle over the upcoming book's release, which is deemed as an insider's strong criticism of Trump's foreign policy.
Trump administration has left no stone unturned in the past to restrict former aides from spilling the beans on its policies and other key details, but the legal approach, in this case, is without an iota of doubt one of the more extreme attempts to restrict a former Trump aide from unveiling his experience. The administration's long-shot effort to restrict the publication of the book raises significant First Amendment implications, according to a CNN report.
Even before its scheduled release, Bolton's new book has already been shipped to warehouses. He has taped an interview with ABC which will be aired on June 21. A source close to Bolton says he is keen on publishing the book as originally scheduled on Tuesday, which means, he is willing to face action from the administration once the book is published, not before.
Talking to CNN, Bolton's attorney, Chuck Cooper revealed that they are reviewing the Government's complaint and are gearing up to respond in due course. In a statement released on Tuesday, Bolton's publisher Simon & Schuster deemed the lawsuit as part of the administration's efforts to stop publication of the book which it considers to be unflattering to Trump.