Former Trump Adviser John Bolton Expected to Plead Guilty in Classified Information Case

John Bolton, who served as National Security Adviser during President Donald Trump’s first administration, is expected to plead guilty to a charge related to the mishandling of classified information, according to sources familiar with the case.

Sources told ABC News that Bolton is expected to plead guilty to one count of illegal retention of sensitive government documents. He has also reportedly agreed to pay a fine of $2.25 million as part of the case.

The U.S. Department of Justice declined to comment on the matter, while Bolton could not immediately be reached for comment.

Charge Involves Retention of Classified Information

According to sources, the charge centers on Bolton’s retention of classified national security information in personal diaries.

Bolton is expected to argue that he did not remove documents marked as classified from government offices. He is also expected to maintain that his 2020 memoir, “The Room Where It Happened,” does not contain classified information.

However, sources said Bolton intends to accept responsibility for his actions through the guilty plea.

A rearraignment hearing has been scheduled for June 26, where Bolton is expected to formally enter his plea.

Background of the Case

A federal grand jury in Maryland indicted Bolton in October 2025 on charges related to the alleged unlawful transmission and retention of classified information.

The indictment included eight counts of unlawful transmission of national defense information and 10 counts of unlawful retention of national defense information.

Prosecutors alleged that Bolton used a personal email account and messaging application to send at least eight classified documents to unauthorized individuals. The documents reportedly contained information classified at levels ranging from “Secret” to “Top Secret.”

According to the indictment, seven of the alleged transmissions occurred while Bolton served as National Security Adviser in 2018 and 2019. Another document was allegedly transmitted shortly after his departure from the administration in September 2019.

Longstanding Tensions with Trump

Bolton has remained a frequent target of criticism from President Trump since leaving the White House.

Relations between the two deteriorated further after Bolton published his memoir detailing his experiences inside the administration.

Throughout the investigation, Bolton denied unlawfully removing documents containing classification markings and insisted that no classified information appeared in his book.