John Bolton, who served as national security adviser throughout the first term of President Donald Trump, entered a guilty plea in a federal court on Friday. The charge pertains to the illegal retention of classified information. Bolton, currently 77 years old, appeared before U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang in Greenbelt, Maryland, to acknowledge the charge.
During the proceeding, Bolton expressed regret, stating, “I’m sorry for it” when addressing the judge. His legal counsel, Abbe Lowell, defended the decision, suggesting that by pleading guilty, Bolton acted in a manner befitting a leader. The agreement reached with prosecutors offers a significantly lighter outcome than the original indictment, which had listed 18 charges and carried a potential 10-year prison sentence. Under the new plea deal, Bolton faces a maximum of five years in prison, though it is possible he will serve no jail time at all, depending on the ruling set for the sentencing hearing on October 28.
The plea agreement requires Bolton to pay a fine of $2.25 million, which is equivalent to approximately €1.98 million. Additionally, he has agreed to relinquish his government pension, complete up to 100 hours of community service, and participate in debriefing sessions with officials from the U.S. Department of Justice and the broader intelligence community.
The allegations center on Bolton sharing classified data with two unauthorized individuals, widely reported to be his wife and daughter. It is believed this sensitive information was utilized in the writing of his memoir about his tenure in the Trump administration, titled “The Room Where It Happened.” Kelly O. Hayes, the U.S. attorney for the district of Maryland, remarked that Bolton’s actions placed the nation’s security at significant risk. Furthermore, reports indicate that Bolton’s email account had been targeted by an Iranian hacker.
Bolton held the position of national security adviser from April 2018 until his resignation in September 2019. His departure was reportedly triggered by fundamental disagreements with President Trump regarding foreign policy matters, including negotiations with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and potential talks with the Afghan Taliban. Before his time in the Trump administration, Bolton served as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations during the George W. Bush administration and was a vocal advocate for the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
Following his transition out of government work, Bolton became a frequent commentator on Fox News, a role that reportedly brought him to Trump’s attention. While Trump once praised him as a “tough cookie” in 2015, the relationship soured after Bolton left the administration. Bolton became a vocal critic of Trump’s leadership style and his perceived fondness for autocratic figures, leading Trump to disparage him as a “washed up creepster” and a “sleazebag.”
