Bolton Agrees to Plead Guilty to Retaining Classified Documents

The former Trump national security adviser faces up to five years in prison and a fine after agreeing to plead guilty to one count of illegal retention of classified information.

John Bolton has reached a plea deal with federal prosecutors over classified information charges.
He will plead guilty to a single count of illegal retention of classified information.
The charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison plus a potential fine.
Bolton served as national security adviser to President Donald Trump from 2018 to 2019.
No sentencing date has been publicly announced as of the time of filing.

John Bolton, the former national security adviser to President Donald Trump, has agreed to plead guilty to one count of illegally retaining classified information, the New York Times reported Wednesday.

The charge carries a maximum prison term of five years and may also result in a fine, according to the report.

Bolton, 77, served in the White House from April 2018 until September 2019, when Trump announced his departure on Twitter. The two men have since traded public accusations over a range of national security decisions made during that period.

The illegal retention of national defense information is a federal offense under the Espionage Act. Prosecutors have pursued similar charges against several high-profile figures in recent years, including cases involving mishandled classified documents at private residences and offices.

Bolton published a memoir in 2020, “The Room Where It Happened,” which the Trump administration attempted to block on national security grounds. The book drew scrutiny over whether it contained classified material.

Details of the plea agreement, including any cooperation provisions or sentencing recommendations, have not been publicly disclosed. A sentencing hearing date is expected to be set following the formal entry of the guilty plea.