John Bolton to Plead Guilty in Classified Documents Case, Faces Multi-Million Dollar Fine

Former U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton has agreed to plead guilty to mishandling classified documents as part of a deal with federal prosecutors, according to sources familiar with the matter. Bolton is expected to plead guilty on June 26 to one count of retaining classified information related to diary entries documenting his work during President Donald Trump’s first term. As part of the agreement, he will pay a $2.25 million fine, while a federal judge will determine his final sentence, which could range from no prison time to up to five years behind bars.

Prosecutors accused Bolton of sharing sensitive government information with two relatives for potential use in a book he was writing, including notes from intelligence briefings and meetings with senior U.S. officials and foreign leaders. Bolton had previously pleaded not guilty to 18 criminal charges involving the retention and transmission of national defense information. Sources familiar with the plea deal said it does not allege wrongdoing related to his book, but reflects an acknowledgment that he mishandled classified materials.

The case comes amid heightened scrutiny of investigations involving critics of President Trump. Bolton, who served as Trump’s national security adviser before becoming one of his most outspoken critics, famously described the president as unfit for office in his memoir. While the investigation into Bolton began before Trump returned to the White House in 2025 and was supported by career prosecutors, it has drawn attention as part of a broader pattern of Justice Department actions involving prominent Trump adversaries.

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