John Bolton Reaches Deal to Plead Guilty Over Classified Information
The New York Times • • nation
Key Points:
- John R. Bolton, former national security adviser to President Trump, has reached a tentative plea deal to plead guilty to mishandling classified information related to notes he compiled for a critical book about Trump.
- Bolton is scheduled for a re-arraignment hearing on June 26 in Maryland federal court, which often signals a planned guilty plea.
- Under the plea agreement, Bolton will plead guilty to a single count of illegal retention of classified information and pay a fine, facing a potential sentence of up to five years in prison, a lesser risk than the decades he faced if convicted at trial.
- The case, initiated under the Biden administration and based on evidence gathered by U.S. intelligence agencies, marks a rare prosecution linked to Trump’s efforts to target perceived enemies, contrasting with other failed attempts.
- Bolton was originally indicted on 18 counts for sharing over 1,000 pages of classified notes with family members lacking security clearances via personal email and messaging apps.