Trump adviser-turned-critic John Bolton to plead guilty in classified info case

June 26 – John Bolton, a former national security adviser for U.S. President Donald Trump who has since become one of his fiercest critics, is expected to plead guilty in federal court on Friday to mishandling classified information.

Sources previously told Reuters that Bolton would plead guilty under a plea deal with prosecutors that included a sentencing range from no prison time to as many as five years behind bars, with the final sentence to be determined by a judge. As part of the agreement, Bolton will also pay a $2.25 million fine, the sources said.

Bolton is accused of sharing sensitive information with two relatives for possible use in a book he was writing, including notes on intelligence briefings and meetings with senior government officials and foreign leaders. He pleaded not guilty to 18 criminal charges last year.

Bolton, who served as national security adviser during Trump’s first term in office, is one of several noteworthy political opponents who have faced prosecution from Trump’s Justice Department, erasing longstanding norms that had separated law enforcement efforts from partisan considerations.

However, unlike other cases brought against Trump critics, the Bolton investigation began before Trump returned to office in 2025 and had the backing of career federal prosecutors. REUTERS