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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 that could allow him to avoid prison time, a person familiar with the matter said Thursday. The deal would resolve a criminal case filed in October that charged Bolton with 18 counts of either retaining or disseminating classified information, including diary-like notes from his time in government that officials say he shared with his family members while preparing a memoir about his tenure.
Under the agreement, Bolton would face a $2.25 million fine, according to the anonymous source. Any prison sentence would be capped at five years, but the agreement allows for him to avoid incarceration, though the final decision rests with a judge.The case against Bolton emerged shortly after prosecutors secured indictments against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, amid concerns that the Justice Department was misusing its powers to target perceived adversaries of President Donald Trump. The investigation gained public attention last August when FBI agents executed search warrants at his Maryland home and Washington office, although it had been ongoing before Trump returned to the White House in January 2025.
Bolton, a prominent figure in Republican foreign policy, is recognized for his hawkish stance on American power. He served for more than a year in Trump's first administration before being dismissed in 2019, subsequently publishing a critical book that depicted Trump as misinformed and portrayed an unflattering view of his leadership.
Trump's administration unsuccessfully sought to block the publication of Bolton's book, 'The Room Where it Happened,' arguing that it risked revealing classified information. The plea deal pertains to the notes shared with family rather than the content disclosed in the book.
A rearraignment, typically indicative of a plea agreement, is scheduled for June 26 in federal court in Greenbelt, Maryland. The Justice Department has declined to comment on the case.
The indictment's 18 counts posed a significant risk of a lengthy prison sentence if Bolton were convicted. Court documents indicated he shared classified entries with family members, which included information deemed as high as top secret from various government meetings and intelligence briefings. Following one document's transmission, Bolton messaged his relatives, 'None of which we talk about!!!' to which one relative responded, 'Shhhhh,' according to prosecutors.
The indictment detailed that the shared material contained sensitive information about foreign adversaries, including specifics on intelligence-gathering methods. One document discussed a foreign adversary's missile launch plans, while another outlined U.S. covert actions and included intelligence implicating an adversary in an attack.
After his indictment, Bolton characterized the charges as part of an 'intensive effort' by Trump to intimidate his critics and control the narrative regarding his conduct.
Previously, Bolton served in the Department of Justice during Ronald Reagan's administration and was involved in arms control discussions during George W. Bush's presidency. He was nominated by Bush to be the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations but failed to secure Senate confirmation. He resigned after serving 17 months through a recess appointment.
In 2018, Bolton became Trump's third national security adviser, a role marked by disagreements over North Korea, Iran, and Ukraine, which ultimately led to his departure. Trump announced Bolton's resignation via social media in September 2019.
Bolton later criticized Trump's foreign policy in his book, alleging that Trump conditioned military aid to Ukraine on that country’s willingness to investigate Joe Biden and his family, who were set to oppose Trump in the 2020 election.
In response, Trump disparaged Bolton as a 'washed-up guy' and a 'crazy' warmonger who would have led the nation into 'World War Six.'
Associated Press writer Alanna Durkin Richer contributed to this report.
