Trump adviser-turned-critic John Bolton pleads guilty to mishandling classified documents

John Bolton, a former national ‌security adviser for U.S. President Donald Trump who has since ​become one of his fiercest critics, pleaded ⁠guilty in federal court on Friday (June 26, 2026) to mishandling classified information and faces up to five years in prison. “I’m sorry for it,” Mr. Bolton told U.S. ‌District Judge Theodore D. Chuang during the hearing.

Reuters previously reported that Bolton would plead guilty under a 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, Mr. Bolton agreed to pay a $2.25 million fine.

Mr. Bolton, 77, must ​make half that payment ‌within five days of sentencing and the full payment within 90 days of sentencing. He also committed to up to 100 hours of community service and to meet with intelligence and ‌Justice Department officials for a debriefing. Mr. Bolton will also forfeit ​his government pension.