Two sources familiar with the matter tell CBS News that a possible criminal case may be presented to a Maryland grand jury on Thursday seeking an indictment against John Bolton, the former national security adviser for President Trump's first term.

Maryland

The U.S. Justice Department is anticipated to request a federal grand jury indictment against former National Security Advisor John Bolton. The move follows accusations from President Donald Trump that Bolton shared classified materials via an email server. Federal investigators previously conducted searches at Bolton's Maryland home and Washington, D.C. office, seizing electronic materials as part of the inquiry.

Sources indicate that career prosecutors, rather than political appointees, are handling the case in Maryland. Bolton has consistently denied any wrongdoing. The investigation centers on the alleged possession or mishandling of classified records, and is distinct from other recent high-profile indictments involving political figures.

Trump admin may make case for John Bolton indictment today

And we start this hour with breaking news. The Justice Department is expected to ask a federal grand jury to indict former National Security Advisor John Bolton today. President Donald Trump accuses Bolton of sharing classified materials on an email server. And it comes just two months after FBI officials raided Bolton's home looking for evidence that supports that information. Investigators seized boxes from both his home and his office, but it's not clear that any of what they found led to today's possible indictment. CBS News Justice Correspondent Scott McFarland joins us now for much more. Scott, thank you for your time. What do we know and what are you watching for today? We know there's a grand jury convened in Greenbelt, Maryland at the federal courthouse there. That would be the courthouse where the U.S. attorney that has jurisdiction over this John Bolton investigation would be this afternoon for a possible request for a grand jury indictment. We know the, according to two sources speaking with CBS News, the Department of Justice could make this presentation to secure a grand jury indictment against Bolton as early as today while this grand jury is convened. As the images show you on the side of your screen, grand jury would be looking at a matter that has already been the result of a federal raid on John Bolton's home in Maryland and his offices in Washington, D.C. We know the Fed seized electronic materials during those search warrants. We also know this is an investigation that has some nexus to the possession or mishandling of classified records. John Bolton has declined or has denied any wrongdoing consistently unambiguously for months now. But this matter, this investigation of John Bolton is crystallizing at least today with a possible indictment in Greenbelt, Maryland. Yeah, Scott, could you walk us through what goes into a grand jury indictment like this one and just how similar or even different is this case to the one against former FBI Director James Comey? That's a good question because it's gonna be easy to lump this together with the two other high-profile political rivals of Donald Trump who've recently been indicted, Letitia James, the New York Attorney General, and James Comey, the former FBI Director. Comey and James were both indicted in a different jurisdiction in the Eastern District of Virginia by a U.S. attorney put in place just days before those indictments by the president. A Trump White House aide was named U.S. attorney and in quick succession secured grand jury indictments against Comey and against James. This is happening in Maryland and the sources speaking with CBS News say these would be career prosecutors, not political appointees, who'd be facing a grand jury today. And this matter is a bit different because a judge has already approved in August the search warrants, the federal raids in Maryland and D.C. against John Bolton. So this feels like a different level of investigation than the ones that have resulted in indictments of James Comey and Letitia James. And we'll wait and see what happens this afternoon. Scott McFarlane, thank you.

China has accused the U.S. of stoking panic over its rare earth controls and said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had made "grossly distorted" remarks about a top Chinese trade negotiator, rejecting a White House call to roll back the curbs.

Beijing

Global Tariffs

China blames U.S. for global panic over rare earths controls

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday said he had a "productive" phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and announced plans for a meeting with Putin in Hungary.

Washington

Ukraine Invasion

Trump says he plans to meet with Putin in Hungary

Israel said it was preparing for the reopening of Gaza's Rafah crossing with Egypt but set no date as it traded blame with Hamas over violations of the ceasefire. A row over the return of bodies of hostages from Gaza retains the potential to upend the truce.

Jerusalem

Middle East Conflict

Netanyahu says fight with Hamas 'not over yet'

Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to a temporary ceasefire on Wednesday after airstrikes and ground fighting ramped up tensions between the South Asian neighbors, leaving more than a dozen civilians dead and 100 wounded.

Balochistan

Pakistan, Afghanistan agree temporary truce after fresh fighting

U.S. President Trump confirmed CIA covert operations in Venezuela during a press conference in the Oval Office on Wednesday. CBS News' Ed O'Keefe asked Trump about what that means for Nicolás Maduro.

Trump authorizes CIA covert operations in Venezuela

Israel is still limiting the number of aid trucks allowed to enter Gaza nearly a week after a ceasefire deal was agreed. It’s told the United Nations will only allow 300 per day - that's half the minimum number agreed under the truce.
The UN says even 600 trucks entering daily would not be enough to meet the needs of the population.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Gaza ceasefire fears as Israel limits aid trucks to less than agreed

President Trump confirmed that he has authorised the CIA to go into Venezuela and conduct covert operations.

Trump says he authorised covert CIA operations in Venezuela

Hamas is back on the streets of Gaza in an attempt, it says, to restore law and order -- and to send a message.

Hamas executes Palestinians accused of collaborating with Israel

A federal judge in Oregon has extended temporary restraining orders that block the Trump administration from deploying National Guard troops to Portland. Meanwhile, federal agents in Chicago used tear gas to disperse a crowd after a car chase ended in a crash.

Chicago

Federal agents deploy tear gas in Chicago despite court order

A federal judge on Wednesday temporarily ordered the Trump administration to halt the firing of workers during the government shutdown.

Judge temporarily blocks Trump from firing workers during shutdown

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is traveling to the U.S. to meet with President Trump. The two leaders are expected to discuss the possibility of the U.S. supplying Ukraine with long-range missiles.

Trump to meet with Zelenskyy about long-range missiles

The U.S. military struck a fifth apparent Venezuelan boat allegedly carrying drugs, U.S. President Donald Trump announced on social media Tuesday. CBS News' Natalie Brand has more details.

Caracas

Trump says U.S. struck another alleged Venezuelan boat

News organizations including The New York Times, The Associated Press and Newsmax as well as ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN and Fox News say they will not sign new press rules as laid out in a Defense Department document. This could mean the Trump administration will evict reporters from the Pentagon.

Major U.S. news media outlets refusing to sign new Pentagon rules

Madagascar’s president ousted in a military takeover — Youth-led protests and parliament’s impeachment vote spark political turmoil.

Antananarivo

Madagascar's military seizes power, president ousted

Thousands of messages shared in a group chat of Young Republicans are revealing some racist thoughts that even they worried about being leaked. The exchanges obtained by Politico are part of a Telegram chat among Young Republican leaders in New York, Kansas, Arizona and Vermont. Jason Beeferman, New York state politics reporter for Politico, joins with more.

Politico exposes racist messages sent by Young Republican leaders

The U.S. stock market rebounded on Monday (October 13) after President Trump appeared to walk back imposing new tariffs on Chinese goods.

Markets rebound after Trump softens tone on China tariffs

U.S. President Donald Trump is heading back to the U.S. after his whirlwind trip to the Middle East, where he celebrated the first phase of a peace plan between Israel and Hamas.

Sharm El-Sheikh

Trump, world leaders sign Gaza peace plan and discuss next steps

The government shutdown entered its third week on Monday as the Senate is set to reconvene on Tuesday. CBS News' Nikole Killion has more from Capitol Hill.

Shutdown drags into third week as Senate set to reconvene

U.S. President Donald Trump was greeted in Tel Aviv with cheers and a military ceremony as he met families of hostages held in Gaza and addressed Israel's parliament. He now travels to Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, to join world leaders in discussions on Gaza's future.

Trump meets with Israeli leaders and hostage families

Twenty living hostages were released by Hamas after more than two years in captivity as a ceasefire continues to hold. Families in Israel describe emotional reunions while others continue to await confirmation about missing relatives.

Families reunite as ceasefire brings hostages, prisoners home

Israeli officials have confirmed that all 20 living captives have been released in Gaza.

Israel confirms all 20 living captives in Gaza have been released

The carefully choreographed Israel-Hamas exchange is underway, with Israel set to release around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners following the release of remaining hostages held in Gaza. Noga Tarnopolsky reports from Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square.

Israel-Hamas swap begins as 2,000 Palestinian prisoners set for release

Following his visit to Israel, President Trump will stop in Egypt to co-host a major summit in Sharm el-Sheikh alongside Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi. The meeting will bring together leaders from more than 20 countries to discuss efforts toward peace in Gaza and the wider Middle East.

Donald Trump to co-host chair Gaza peace summit in Egypt

The French presidency announced Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu's new cabinet line-up on Sunday (October 12), with most top jobs remaining unchanged at a time when opponents are demanding a political shift to win their support for urgent budget talks.

Paris

French presidency unveils new cabinet as budget pressure intensifies

Seven captives have been handed over to the Red Cross, who will facilitate their transfer to Israeli forces.

Israeli military says Red Cross has received 7 captives in Gaza

On his way to the Middle East, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters he expects the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas to hold, despite concerns Hamas won’t abide by the deal.

Trump says the 'war is over', Gaza rebuild to start immediately

China on Sunday (October 12) called U.S. President Donald Trump's latest tariffs on Chinese goods hypocritical and defended its curbs on exports of rare earth elements and equipment, but stopped short of imposing new levies on U.S. products.

Beijing blames U.S. for trade tensions, defends rare earth curbs

Afghanistan and Pakistan said they killed dozens of each other's troops during a night of heavy border clashes between the two countries. Afghanistan's Taliban forces launched attacks on Pakistani troops along their shared border in what it called "retaliation for air strikes carried out by the Pakistani army on Kabul".

Chaman

Border clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan leave dozens dead

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas held in Gaza for a third day ahead of the expected release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners and an address by U.S. President Donald Trump to Israel's parliament.

Ceasefire holds in Gaza ahead of hostage release, Trump visit

Zelenskyy called Trump for a second consecutive day to discuss defence and Ukraine's energy sector. It comes as Russia further intensifies its attacks on Ukraine's critical infrastructure ahead of its harsh winter.

Breakdown