Former U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton pleaded guilty on Friday to one count of willfully retaining classified national defense information, prompting a sharp response from U.S. President Donald Trumpwho described his former adviser as a “very dumb, unbalanced, and unskilled” official and said he hoped Bolton would be “dealt with harshly.”
Key Takeaways
- John Bolton pleaded guilty to one count of willfully retaining classified national defense information.
- Donald Trump responded by calling Bolton a “terrible person” and saying he should be “dealt with harshly.”
- Bolton agreed to pay a $2.25 million fineforfeit his federal pension, perform community service and undergo a national security debriefing.
- The plea agreement recommends a prison sentence of no more than five yearssubject to the judge’s approval, with sentencing set for October 28.
- Prosecutors said Bolton improperly retained and shared classified material after leaving government service.
Trump posted the remarks on social media shortly after Bolton entered his guilty plea in federal court in Greenbelt, Maryland. The president called Bolton “a terrible person” and accused him of pushing for wars and creating unnecessary conflict during his time in government.
Bolton, 77, admitted that he unlawfully retained classified national defense information after leaving government service. As part of a plea agreement with federal prosecutors, he agreed to pay a $2.25 million fineforfeit his federal retirement benefits, perform up to 100 hours of community serviceand participate in a debriefing with U.S. intelligence officials. The plea agreement also recommends that any prison sentence not exceed five years, although the final decision rests with the court. Sentencing is scheduled for October 28.
According to prosecutors, Bolton retained and shared more than 1,000 pages of diary-style notes containing classified information, including material marked at high classification levels. Some of the information was sent through personal accounts to family members who were not authorized to receive it. Authorities also disclosed that one of Bolton’s personal email accounts had later been compromised by an actor allegedly linked to Iran, raising additional security concerns.
During the court hearing, Bolton acknowledged the facts presented by prosecutors and told the judge, “I’m sorry for it.” He had previously pleaded not guilty after being indicted on multiple counts related to his handling of classified information before ultimately reaching a plea agreement.
Bolton served as National Security Adviser during Trump’s first administration from April 2018 to September 2019. Before joining the White House, he held several senior national security positions, including serving as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush and as Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security. He became known for his hawkish foreign policy positions on Iran, North Korea and other national security issues.
After leaving the Trump administration, Bolton became one of Trump’s most prominent Republican critics. His 2020 memoir, The Room Where It Happeneddetailed internal disagreements within the administration and led to a prolonged legal dispute over the publication of the book. Prosecutors said, however, that the classified information involved in the current criminal case was not published in the memoir.
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