Ex-national security adviser John Bolton pleads guilty to illegally retaining classified information

By — Michael Kunzelman, Associated Press Michael Kunzelman, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/ex-national-security-adviser-john-bolton-pleads-guilty-to-illegally-retaining-classified-information Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Ex-national security adviser John Bolton pleads guilty to illegally retaining classified information Politics Jun 26, 2026 1:06 PM EDT GREENBELT, Md. (AP) — Former Trump administration national security adviser John Bolton pleaded guilty on Friday to illegally retaining classified information, sealing a deal with federal prosecutors that could allow him to avoid a prison term. Bolton, who became an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump after serving in the Republican's first administration, is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 28 by U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang in Greenbelt, Maryland. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Bolton, 77, of Bethesda, Maryland, pleaded guilty to a single count of illegally retaining national defense information, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years. His plea agreement with the Justice Department may enable him to avoid time behind bars, but the judge ultimately will decide his punishment. The plea agreement recommends capping any prison sentence at five years, but the judge isn't bound by that part of the deal. Bolton, who also agreed to pay a fine of $2.25 million, can withdraw his guilty plea if the judge imposes a longer prison sentence or a larger fine. WATCH: Former Trump adviser John Bolton to plead guilty over classified information Bolton must pay half of the fine within five days of his plea and the balance within 90 days. He agreed to forfeit his retirement pay for his federal service. The plea deal also requires him to submit to a debriefing with federal intelligence officials and perform up to 100 hours of community service. After a prosecutor read aloud a summary of his offenses, Bolton agreed that it was accurate. "I'm sorry for it," he told the judge. Defense attorney Abbe Lowell said Bolton "did what real leaders do" by pleading guilty. READ MORE: What to know about the federal charges against John Bolton "He took responsibility for a mistake he made, thereby saving the government resources to pursue a case that could expose additional sensitive information," Lowell said in a statement after the hearing. U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes, the top federal prosecutor for Maryland, said Bolton knew how to properly handle and store classified information. "He also knew the damage to national security that could be caused by mishandling that sensitive information. Nevertheless, as Mr. Bolton just admitted, he put our national security at grave risk in violation of the law," Hayes told reporters. Bolton was charged last October with 18 counts of either retaining or disseminating classifie