Ex-Trump NSA John Bolton pleads guilty to mishandling classified documents
The guilty plea comes after Bolton initially denied wrongdoing following an 18-count indictment last year. Prosecutors had accused him of unlawfully retaining and sharing classified material, including documents containing national defence information classified at the highest levels.
Former national security adviser to US President Donald Trump John Bolton, who later became one of his fiercest critics, pleaded guilty in federal court on Friday to illegally retaining classified information, a conviction that could send him to prison for up to five years.
Bolton admitted in federal court on Friday to a single count of illegal retention of classified information as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors. The charge relates to sensitive diary-style notes he kept while serving in the Trump administration and later used while writing his memoir.
The guilty plea comes after Bolton initially denied wrongdoing following an 18-count indictment last year. Prosecutors had accused him of unlawfully retaining and sharing classified material, including documents containing national defence information classified at the highest levels.
Bolton is scheduled to be sentenced on October 28 by US District Judge Theodore Chuang in Greenbelt, Maryland.
PLEA DEAL LIMITS POTENTIAL SENTENCE
As part of the agreement with the Justice Department, Bolton faces a maximum prison term of five years. Prosecutors also said he agreed to pay a fine of USD 2.25 million.
The plea agreement gives Bolton the option to withdraw his guilty plea if the court imposes a prison sentence exceeding five years or a fine greater than the agreed amount. The final sentence, however, will be decided by the judge.
According to US media reports, Bolton has also agreed to debrief national security officials on the classified information he retained and complete 100 hours of community service.
During Friday's hearing, the judge reviewed the allegations against Bolton, including claims that he shared diary entries containing sensitive information with members of his family.
When asked whether the allegations were true, Bolton replied, "I did your honor."
He also told the court he was "sorry for it."
CASE CENTRED ON CLASSIFIED NOTES
The prosecution focused largely on classified notes Bolton retained after leaving government rather than on the contents of his bestselling memoir, The Room Where It Happened.
Investigators alleged that the notes contained national defence information, including material classified at the top secret level. Prosecutors also accused Bolton of sending some of the documents to relatives while working on the book.
Court filings said Bolton later warned his family not to discuss the documents after sending one of them.
"None of which we talk about!!!" Bolton allegedly wrote in a message.
One family member responded: "Shhhhh."
Federal investigators searched Bolton's Maryland home and his Washington office last August as part of the investigation, although authorities said the inquiry had begun before Trump's return to the White House in January 2025.
The indictment also alleged that a hacker at one point gained access to Bolton's online account, where classified documents had been stored. According to prosecutors, the hacker threatened to create "the biggest scandal since Hillary (Clinton's) emails were leaked".
PROSECUTORS SAY BOLTON KNEW THE RISKS
Following the hearing, US Attorney Kelly Hayes said Bolton fully understood the rules governing classified information because of his years in senior government positions.
"He also knew the damage to national security that could be caused by mishandling that sensitive information," Hayes said.
"Nevertheless, as Bolton just admitted, he put our national security at grave risk in violation of the law."
People familiar with the plea negotiations told US media outlets that Bolton chose to accept responsibility rather than risk a lengthy trial that could expose additional classified material.
LONG-RUNNING DISPUTE WITH TRUMP
Bolton served as Trump's national security adviser for more than a year before leaving the administration in 2019.
The relationship between the two men deteriorated after Bolton published The Room Where It Happened in 2020. The memoir offered a highly critical account of Trump's presidency and his handling of foreign policy.
The Trump administration attempted to block publication of the book, arguing that it contained classified information and had not completed the required government review process. A federal judge declined to stop its release, allowing the book to be published days later.
Trump has repeatedly criticised his former adviser since then, describing Bolton as a "sleazebag" and a "crazy" warmonger who would have dragged the United States into "World War Six".
Bolton, meanwhile, has remained one of Trump's sharpest Republican critics, frequently challenging the president's foreign policy decisions in public interviews and opinion pieces.
Former national security adviser to US President Donald Trump John Bolton, who later became one of his fiercest critics, pleaded guilty in federal court on Friday to illegally retaining classified information, a conviction that could send him to prison for up to five years.
Bolton admitted in federal court on Friday to a single count of illegal retention of classified information as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors. The charge relates to sensitive diary-style notes he kept while serving in the Trump administration and later used while writing his memoir.
The guilty plea comes after Bolton initially denied wrongdoing following an 18-count indictment last year. Prosecutors had accused him of unlawfully retaining and sharing classified material, including documents containing national defence information classified at the highest levels.
Bolton is scheduled to be sentenced on October 28 by US District Judge Theodore Chuang in Greenbelt, Maryland.
PLEA DEAL LIMITS POTENTIAL SENTENCE
As part of the agreement with the Justice Department, Bolton faces a maximum prison term of five years. Prosecutors also said he agreed to pay a fine of USD 2.25 million.
The plea agreement gives Bolton the option to withdraw his guilty plea if the court imposes a prison sentence exceeding five years or a fine greater than the agreed amount. The final sentence, however, will be decided by the judge.
According to US media reports, Bolton has also agreed to debrief national security officials on the classified information he retained and complete 100 hours of community service.
During Friday's hearing, the judge reviewed the allegations against Bolton, including claims that he shared diary entries containing sensitive information with members of his family.
When asked whether the allegations were true, Bolton replied, "I did your honor."
He also told the court he was "sorry for it."
CASE CENTRED ON CLASSIFIED NOTES
The prosecution focused largely on classified notes Bolton retained after leaving government rather than on the contents of his bestselling memoir, The Room Where It Happened.
Investigators alleged that the notes contained national defence information, including material classified at the top secret level. Prosecutors also accused Bolton of sending some of the documents to relatives while working on the book.
Court filings said Bolton later warned his family not to discuss the documents after sending one of them.
"None of which we talk about!!!" Bolton allegedly wrote in a message.
One family member responded: "Shhhhh."
Federal investigators searched Bolton's Maryland home and his Washington office last August as part of the investigation, although authorities said the inquiry had begun before Trump's return to the White House in January 2025.
The indictment also alleged that a hacker at one point gained access to Bolton's online account, where classified documents had been stored. According to prosecutors, the hacker threatened to create "the biggest scandal since Hillary (Clinton's) emails were leaked".
PROSECUTORS SAY BOLTON KNEW THE RISKS
Following the hearing, US Attorney Kelly Hayes said Bolton fully understood the rules governing classified information because of his years in senior government positions.
"He also knew the damage to national security that could be caused by mishandling that sensitive information," Hayes said.
"Nevertheless, as Bolton just admitted, he put our national security at grave risk in violation of the law."
People familiar with the plea negotiations told US media outlets that Bolton chose to accept responsibility rather than risk a lengthy trial that could expose additional classified material.
LONG-RUNNING DISPUTE WITH TRUMP
Bolton served as Trump's national security adviser for more than a year before leaving the administration in 2019.
The relationship between the two men deteriorated after Bolton published The Room Where It Happened in 2020. The memoir offered a highly critical account of Trump's presidency and his handling of foreign policy.
The Trump administration attempted to block publication of the book, arguing that it contained classified information and had not completed the required government review process. A federal judge declined to stop its release, allowing the book to be published days later.
Trump has repeatedly criticised his former adviser since then, describing Bolton as a "sleazebag" and a "crazy" warmonger who would have dragged the United States into "World War Six".
Bolton, meanwhile, has remained one of Trump's sharpest Republican critics, frequently challenging the president's foreign policy decisions in public interviews and opinion pieces.
