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

Ex-national security adviser John Bolton pleads guilty to illegally retaining classified information 1 of 2 | National security adviser John Bolton straightens his tie before an interview, March 5, 2019, at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File) 2 of 2 | Abbe Lowell, attorney for former Trump administration national security adviser John Bolton, arrives at the U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, Va., Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen) Correction: spelling of name corrected to Abbe Lowell., instead of Abbey Lowel 1 of 2 | National security adviser John Bolton straightens his tie before an interview, March 5, 2019, at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File) 1 of 2 National security adviser John Bolton straightens his tie before an interview, March 5, 2019, at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 2 of 2 | Abbe Lowell, attorney for former Trump administration national security adviser John Bolton, arrives at the U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, Va., Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen) Correction: spelling of name corrected to Abbe Lowell., instead of Abbey Lowel 2 of 2 Abbe Lowell, attorney for former Trump administration national security adviser John Bolton, arrives at the U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, Va., Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen) Correction: spelling of name corrected to Abbe Lowell., instead of Abbey Lowel Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] 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.Bolton, 77, 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. 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. 4 MIN READ 4 MIN READ 9 MIN READ 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.“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.Bolton was charged last October with 18 counts of either retaining or disseminating classified information, including diary-like notes that he shared with relatives as he wrote a memoir about his career in government. Other Trump adversaries have been charged with federal crimes during his second term in the White House. While some of those cases have collapsed under judicial scrutiny and amid claims of political retribution, Bolton didn’t mount a vigorous defense against his charges before cutting a deal.FBI agents searched Bolton’s Maryland home and Washington, D.C., office last August, but the investigation began before Trump returned to the White House in January 2025.Bolton served for more than a year in Trump’s first administration before getting pushed out in 2019. He later published a book called “The Room Where it Happened” that presented an unflattering portrait of Trump’s leadership.The Trump administration fought unsuccessfully to block the book’s release, claiming it contained classified information that could jeopardize national security. Trump derided Bolton as a “crazy” warmonger who would have led the country into “World War Six.”Bolton’s indictment focused on notes that he shared with his wife and daughter rather than the contents of his book. After sending one document, Bolton wrote in a message to his relatives, “None of which we talk about!!!” In response, one of his relatives wrote, “Shhhhh,” prosecutors said.___ Associated Press writer Eric Tucker contributed to this report.