John Bolton Set to Plead Guilty in Classified Documents Probe, Sources Say

John Bolton, the former national security advisor to Donald Trump who later became one of the president’s most vocal detractors, has agreed to enter a guilty plea in his federal case concerning the handling of classified materials, according to two individuals with knowledge of the arrangement.

The Justice Department indicted Bolton last year on 18 counts alleging improper retention of classified information. Although he initially entered a not-guilty plea, sources indicate he will now plead guilty to a single count of retaining national defense information. As part of the agreement, Bolton will also pay a $2.25 million fine. The individuals, who requested anonymity because the deal has not yet been made public, shared these details.

Bolton is scheduled to formally enter his plea during a re-arraignment hearing on June 26. A spokesperson for the US Attorney’s Office in Maryland, which is prosecuting the case, confirmed the date to the BBC but declined to provide further remarks. The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The plea agreement requires judicial approval to be finalized. According to one source, the deal recommends against jail time, though a judge will determine the final sentence at a separate sentencing hearing. The charge carries a maximum penalty of up to 60 months in prison.

Prosecutors charged Bolton in October, alleging that he jeopardized public safety by mishandling classified documents, including some marked top secret, during and after his tenure as national security advisor from April 2018 to September 2019. The indictment specifically cited "diary-like" entries from his time in office that contained national defense information classified up to the top-secret level. Sources familiar with the deal told the BBC that the single count Bolton will plead guilty to is directly tied to these diary entries.

Bolton’s indictment followed a series of high-profile criminal cases brought against critics of Trump, including former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Since leaving the Trump administration, Bolton has been openly critical of the former president, even publishing a book that detailed his criticisms. Trump has previously suggested that Bolton should face imprisonment.

However, former federal prosecutors and legal experts told the BBC that Bolton’s situation differs from other cases involving Trump critics due to the strength of the evidence collected. "The ambassador has admitted to what he has done," one source familiar with the plea deal stated. The individual explained that Bolton recognized that proceeding to trial could have resulted in the disclosure of additional classified information in his defense, which he sought to avoid to prevent potential damage to the United States.

"Unlike others, he's stood up and said he takes responsibility," the source added.

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-06-04 17:42:57 UTC