Former National Security Adviser John Bolton pleaded guilty on June 27, 2026, to one count of unauthorized possession of a national defense document in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, Maryland. This plea is part of an agreement that will lead to the dismissal of 17 additional charges at sentencing. Bolton, 77, faces a potential fine of $2.25 million, up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and the loss of his federal retirement pension. His defense attorneys expressed hope that he will avoid jail time.
The charges stem from allegations that Bolton unlawfully retained classified national defense information after leaving government service, including over 1,000 pages of notes from his time as national security adviser. Prosecutors stated that he shared parts of this material with family members via a personal email account. FBI Director Kash Patel indicated that the investigation showed Bolton knowingly mishandled classified information.
In response to Bolton's guilty plea, former President Donald Trump criticized him in a post on Truth Social, labeling him as unbalanced and a 'lunatic.' Bolton served as Trump's national security adviser from April 2018 until September 2019, and their relationship soured after the release of Bolton's memoir, which was critical of Trump's presidency. Bolton's attorney defended his client's decision to plead guilty, stating it demonstrated accountability.