Breaking: Former Trump Adviser John Bolton to Plead Guilty to Illegally Retaining Sensitive National Security Information
John Bolton, the former national security adviser who served during President Donald Trump's first term and later became one of his most vocal critics, has agreed to plead guilty to one count of retaining national security information, according to two sources familiar with the matter. As part of this agreement, Bolton will be arraigned again on June 26, at which point the judge will have up to 90 days to render a sentence, as stated by the sources. The potential sentence that Bolton faces ranges from probation to 60 months in prison, the sources indicated. Additionally, he has agreed to pay $2.25 million in restitution, according to one of the sources. The national security information in question was described by Bolton in an electronic diary entry that he shared with two members of his family, as revealed by the two sources. It is worth noting that there is no allegation that Bolton took home any classified documents, leaked any documents, or shared any documents with foreign adversaries, as clarified by one of the sources. This development was first reported by CNN. When Bolton was arrested in October, he initially pleaded not guilty to charges of mishandling classified information, but he has since changed his plea. He was indicted that month by a federal grand jury in Maryland on eight counts of transmission of national defense information and 10 counts of unlawful retention of that information. According to one of the sources, who is close to Bolton, he decided to change his plea for the good of the country. This source explained that "this was a very difficult decision for him," and that "most importantly, he is doing what leaders do and taking responsibility." The source further stated that Bolton understands that if he went to trial, it would result in the disclosure of many more classified documents that he would need to reveal to defend himself, and given the sensitive situations in Ukraine and the Middle East, he did not want to do that.
Bolton is well known in Republican foreign policy circles for his hawkish views and his strong support for the Iraq War. However, he fell out of favor with Trump after writing an unflattering memoir about his experience working for the president, titled "The Room Where It Happened." Bolton served in Trump's first administration for only a year before he was fired due to disagreements on how to contain Iran and North Korea. After his departure, Bolton continued to antagonize the president by criticizing his foreign policy moves, particularly with regards to Russia. In response, Trump publicly blasted Bolton, calling him a "lowlife dummy" and "war mongering fool," among other things. Just days after returning to the White House last year, Trump canceled Bolton's Secret Service detail, despite the fact that Bolton was the target of an alleged murder-for-hire scheme by a member of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. In June 2020, Trump publicly called for Bolton to be prosecuted, further escalating the tensions between the two.
In an interview with Fox News at the time, Trump stated, “He released massive amounts of classified, and confidential, but classified information,” which clearly emphasized the gravity of the situation. He further asserted, “That’s illegal and you go to jail for that,” highlighting the potential consequences of such actions.
However, Bolton presented a different perspective, maintaining that he had fulfilled all his legal obligations regarding the handling of sensitive information. To support his claim, he obtained a letter from a National Security Council official in 2020, which explicitly stated that the book contained no classified material, thereby validating his position. It is worth noting that Trump himself faced similar allegations, as he was indicted in 2023 on charges of mishandling classified documents and obstructing efforts to recover them after he left office, which raised questions about his own handling of sensitive information.
Nevertheless, the charges against Trump were ultimately dismissed by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, in 2024, bringing an end to that particular case.
Peter Nicholas serves as a senior White House reporter for NBC News, providing in-depth coverage of key events. Additionally, Corky Siemaszko is a senior reporter for NBC News Digital, contributing to the network's online news platform.
Bolton is well known in Republican foreign policy circles for his hawkish views and his strong support for the Iraq War. However, he fell out of favor with Trump after writing an unflattering memoir about his experience working for the president, titled "The Room Where It Happened." Bolton served in Trump's first administration for only a year before he was fired due to disagreements on how to contain Iran and North Korea. After his departure, Bolton continued to antagonize the president by criticizing his foreign policy moves, particularly with regards to Russia. In response, Trump publicly blasted Bolton, calling him a "lowlife dummy" and "war mongering fool," among other things. Just days after returning to the White House last year, Trump canceled Bolton's Secret Service detail, despite the fact that Bolton was the target of an alleged murder-for-hire scheme by a member of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. In June 2020, Trump publicly called for Bolton to be prosecuted, further escalating the tensions between the two.
In an interview with Fox News at the time, Trump stated, “He released massive amounts of classified, and confidential, but classified information,” which clearly emphasized the gravity of the situation. He further asserted, “That’s illegal and you go to jail for that,” highlighting the potential consequences of such actions.
However, Bolton presented a different perspective, maintaining that he had fulfilled all his legal obligations regarding the handling of sensitive information. To support his claim, he obtained a letter from a National Security Council official in 2020, which explicitly stated that the book contained no classified material, thereby validating his position. It is worth noting that Trump himself faced similar allegations, as he was indicted in 2023 on charges of mishandling classified documents and obstructing efforts to recover them after he left office, which raised questions about his own handling of sensitive information.
Nevertheless, the charges against Trump were ultimately dismissed by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, in 2024, bringing an end to that particular case.
Peter Nicholas serves as a senior White House reporter for NBC News, providing in-depth coverage of key events. Additionally, Corky Siemaszko is a senior reporter for NBC News Digital, contributing to the network's online news platform.
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