Former national security advisor John Bolton pleads guilty in classified documents case

Jun 26, 2026 - 17:55

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Former Trump administration national security adviser John Bolton pleaded guilty Friday to one count of retention of national defense information.

Under a deal with the Justice Department, Bolton agreed to a prison sentence of up to 60 months and a $2.25 million fine.

The sentence will ultimately be decided by a judge at a later date. The judge is not bound by the terms of the plea agreement and could issue a sentence that is higher or lower than what both sides recommended.

The plea resolves a case filed in October, when Bolton was indicted on 18 counts related to the alleged retention or sharing of diary-like notes with family members. Officials said the notes contained classified information and were written as Bolton was preparing a memoir about his time in government.

Bolton served as national security adviser during President Donald Trumps first term and has since become a vocal critic. His home was raided in August 2025, and court documents show the FBI seized multiple documents marked secret, confidential and classified.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.