What is the story about?
Former Trump administration national security adviser John Bolton has agreed to plead guilty to a single count of retaining classified information under
a deal with the Justice Department, according to a source familiar with the matter. This agreement may allow Bolton to avoid prison time while resolving a criminal case filed in October that charged him with 18 counts related to classified information, including notes from his time in government shared with family members as he prepared a memoir.
As part of the plea deal, Bolton faces a $2.25 million fine, and any potential prison sentence is capped at five years. However, the agreement allows for the possibility of avoiding incarceration, with the final decision resting with a judge.Bolton, a prominent figure in Republican foreign policy, was known for his hawkish stance on U.S. power. He served in Trump's first administration until his dismissal in 2019, subsequently publishing a critical book about the president.
The Trump administration attempted to block the release of Bolton's memoir, 'The Room Where It Happened,' arguing it risked disclosing classified information. The plea deal focuses on the notes shared with family rather than the book's contents.
A rearraignment hearing, which typically indicates a plea agreement, is scheduled for June 26 in federal court in Greenbelt, Maryland. The Justice Department has declined to comment on the case.
Bolton's prosecution is part of a broader trend involving several of Trump's adversaries facing legal challenges over the past year. An FBI investigation into Bolton became public in August when agents executed search warrants at his home and office in Maryland.
