Ex-US security adviser Bolton strikes plea deal in classified records case

Former U.S. national security adviser John Bolton has reached an agreement to plead guilty to unlawfully retaining classified information, according to a person familiar with the matter. This deal with the Justice Department could potentially keep Bolton out of prison.

The agreement aims to resolve a criminal case initiated in October, which charged Bolton with 18 counts related to retaining or disseminating classified information. These charges included diary-like notes he allegedly shared with family members while preparing a memoir about his career.

Under the terms of the proposed deal, Bolton would also pay a $2.25 million fine. While any prison sentence would be capped at five years, the agreement may allow him to avoid jail time altogether, with the final punishment left to a judge's discretion. A re-arraignment, often signaling a plea agreement, is scheduled for June 26 in federal court in Maryland.

The case unfolded amid broader concerns about the Justice Department's use of law enforcement powers against perceived adversaries of President Donald Trump. Bolton, a prominent figure in Republican foreign policy known for his hawkish views, served in the Trump administration before his 2019 departure. He later published a critical book about his time in office, which the administration unsuccessfully attempted to block on national security grounds.

Bolton's legal team has maintained that he proceeded with his book after a National Security Council official confirmed the manuscript no longer contained classified information. The indictment focused on notes shared with his wife and daughter, rather than the book's content itself. Bolton had previously pleaded not guilty, describing the charges as an "intensive effort” by Trump "to intimidate his opponents."

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intensive effort” by Trump "to intimidate his opponents, to ensure that he alone determines what is said about his conduct.