Ex-national security adviser John Bolton pleads guilty to illegally retaining classified information
Summary
John Bolton, who was national security adviser in President Donald Trump’s first administration, pleaded guilty to illegally keeping classified information. He agreed to a deal with prosecutors that might let him avoid prison, with sentencing set for October 28 in Maryland.Key Facts
- John Bolton pleaded guilty to one count of illegally retaining classified information.
- The plea deal suggests his prison time could be capped at five years, but the judge can decide a different sentence.
- Bolton can take back his guilty plea if the judge sentences him to more than five years in prison or fines him over $2.25 million.
- He was originally charged last October with 18 counts related to keeping or sharing classified materials.
- The case involves diary-like notes he shared with family while writing a memoir about his government career.
- FBI agents searched Bolton’s Maryland home and Washington office in August; the investigation started before Trump’s 2025 presidential term began.
- Bolton served about a year under President Trump before leaving in 2019 and later wrote a critical book about Trump’s leadership.
- The government tried to stop Bolton’s book release, arguing it had classified content, but was unsuccessful.
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