John Bolton Reportedly Set To Plead Guilty In Classified Documents Case
Former national security adviser John Bolton is expected to plead guilty to a classified documents charge later this month, according to a report from CNN.
Bolton, 77, was indicted in October 2025 on 18 counts related to the alleged mishandling of classified information stemming from his service during President Trump’s first administration.
According to the report, Bolton is expected to plead guilty to a single count of illegal retention of classified information during a hearing scheduled for June 26 in federal court in Greenbelt, Maryland.
The charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Bolton is also expected to agree to pay a fine exceeding $2 million as part of the plea arrangement.
Much of the case centered on Bolton’s 2020 memoir, The Room Where It Happened, which detailed his experiences inside the Trump White House and sparked controversy over whether sensitive information had been improperly disclosed.
The Justice Department attempted to block publication of the book during Trump’s first term and launched an investigation into the matter in 2020. That probe was later closed before being revived in a broader investigation that ultimately led to criminal charges.
Prosecutors alleged that Bolton transmitted more than 1,000 pages of sensitive government material from his personal email account to individuals who lacked appropriate security clearances. Court filings reportedly indicated those recipients were believed to be members of his family.
Authorities also accused Bolton of sending classified information, including material designated as top secret, to outside contacts while serving in government.
According to prosecutors, some of the information later became exposed when Bolton’s AOL email account was compromised by hackers linked to Iran.
Bolton has long been viewed as a prominent Iran hawk and has remained under threat from the Iranian regime following the 2020 killing of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani.
Bolton served as national security adviser from April 2018 until his departure from the administration in September 2019.
Court documents indicate that after leaving government service, Bolton assured federal authorities that he did not possess classified material. However, investigators later executed searches of his Washington, D.C., office and Maryland residence in August 2025.
According to the indictment, agents recovered documents related to weapons of mass destruction, internal government strategy discussions, diplomatic communications, United Nations matters, and other classified materials.
If approved by the court, Bolton’s plea agreement would bring an end to one of the most high-profile classified documents cases involving a former senior Trump administration official.