Trump critic John Bolton pleads guilty in classified records case, agrees to $2M penalty
John Bolton, President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, pleaded guilty to mishandling classified materials Friday. It comes just weeks after reports that the Trump aide-turned-critic had reached an agreement with federal prosecutors.
As part of a deal, Bolton pleaded guilty to one count of retaining national defense information, which could amount to prison time of up to five years, according to CNN. He will also be fined $2.25 million, according to multiple reports.
Despite the plea deal, there could still be a showdown in court, with Bolton expected to fight for no jail time, while the DOJ seeks the opposite.
Charges, surrenders and not guilty pleas
Bolton was previously indicted and charged with 18 counts in October, accused of unlawfully transmitting and retaining classified documents from Trump’s first term in office.
The charges include eight counts of transferring national defense information and 10 counts of retaining national defense information. They stem from an August 2025 raid of Bolton’s home, where the FBI obtained several documents labeled “classified” and “secret.”
Specifically, prosecutors say Bolton shared 1,000 pages of “diary-like” updates with two family members. The documents reportedly detail his work as national security adviser during Trump’s first term.
Bolton is also accused of using his personal email to send classified materials, an account that was later hacked.
The plea agreement, however, solely revolves around information Bolton shared with two family members: his wife and daughter. CNN reports Bolton is choosing to go the plea route, in part, to avoid sensitive information going public during a trial.
John Bolton: A frequent critic
Bolton served as Trump’s national security adviser from 2018 to 2019, until the president ousted him because he “disagreed strongly” with many of his suggestions.
Since his departure, he’s become a frequent critic of Trump, often criticizing the president’s actions in Iran. He even went on to publish a book critical of Trump.
Bolton surrendered to authorities on Oct. 17 and entered a not guilty plea before coming to the new agreement with prosecutors.
A rare win for Trump’s DOJ
Bolton’s guilty plea marks a rare win for the Department of Justice, which has been targeting Trump’s political foes since he returned to office.
Other DOJ targets include former FBI Director James Comey, who is facing an indictment over a photo he shared on social media, and New York Attorney General Letitia James, who was indicted on mortgage and bank fraud charges.
While those cases have seen numerous lawsuits and court holdups, officials — and even critics of Trump’s DOJ — have viewed the Bolton case as legitimate, CNN reports.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
