Ex-Trump adviser Bolton pleads guilty to illegal possession of classified information
Kyiv • UNN
John Bolton pleaded guilty to illegally retaining classified information, reaching a deal with prosecutors. The agreement may allow him to avoid prison time.
Former U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton pleaded guilty on Friday to illegally retaining classified information, reaching a deal with federal prosecutors that could allow him to avoid prison. AP reports, writes UNN.
Details
Bolton, who became an open critic of President Donald Trump after serving in his first administration, is scheduled to appear in court for sentencing on October 28. The decision will be made by U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang in Greenbelt, Maryland.
Bolton, 77, of Bethesda, Maryland, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawfully retaining information related to national defense. The maximum penalty for this charge is 10 years in prison. The agreement with the Department of Justice could allow him to avoid incarceration, but the final decision on punishment will be made by the judge.
The agreement recommends limiting any possible prison term to five years, but the judge is not obligated to follow it. Bolton also agreed to pay a fine of $2.25 million. He will have the right to withdraw his guilty plea if the court imposes a harsher sentence or a larger fine.
Bolton must pay half of the fine within five days of pleading guilty, and the remainder within 90 days. He also agreed to forfeit his federal service pension payments. Additionally, the agreement requires him to undergo an interview with U.S. intelligence officials and perform up to 100 hours of community service.
After the prosecutor read a summary of the offenses, Bolton confirmed its accuracy.
"I regret it," he told the judge.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland Kelly O. Hayes stated that Bolton was well aware of the rules for handling classified information.
"He also knew the harm that improper handling of this sensitive information could cause to national security. Yet, as Mr. Bolton himself admitted today, he placed our national security at serious risk by breaking the law," Hayes told reporters.
Addendum
In October of last year, Bolton was charged with 18 counts of unlawfully retaining or disseminating classified information, including diary entries he shared with relatives while writing his memoirs about his work in government.
During Donald Trump's second presidential term, federal charges were also brought against other political opponents. Although some of these cases fell apart in court and were accompanied by claims of political persecution, Bolton did not actively contest the charges and reached a deal with prosecutors.
In August of last year, FBI agents conducted searches at Bolton's home in Maryland and his office in Washington. Meanwhile, the investigation had been launched before Trump's return to the White House in January 2025.
Bolton served as National Security Advisor for over a year during Trump's first administration but left the position in 2019. He later published the book "The Room Where It Happened," in which he critically described Trump's leadership style.
The Trump administration unsuccessfully tried to block the book's release, claiming it contained classified information that could harm national security. Trump himself called Bolton a "crazy" war hawk who would supposedly drag the country into "World War Six."