John Bolton to plead guilty in classified documents case

Former National Security Adviser John Bolton is expected to plead guilty to a felony charge of illegally retaining classified information later this month, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter. The plea agreement, which requires court approval, would resolve an 18-count indictment filed against him in October 2025.

Bolton, 77, is scheduled to enter his plea during a hearing on June 26 in federal court in Greenbelt, Maryland. As part of the deal, he has agreed to pay a fine of $2.25 million. The single charge of unlawful retention of national defense information carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, though the agreement could allow him to avoid incarceration. The final sentencing decision rests with a judge.

The charges stemmed from an investigation into Bolton’s handling of sensitive materials during and after his service as national security adviser from April 2018 to September 2019. Prosecutors alleged that he transmitted more than 1,000 pages of classified information, including material designated as top secret, from his personal email account to two individuals who lacked security clearances. Those individuals were identified in reports as...