John Bolton To Plead Guilty, Faces Potential Prison Sentence Under Deal

Former Trump National Security Adviser John Bolton reached a plea agreement that includes possible prison time for his handling of classified information, according to multiple reports. 

Bolton is set to plead guilty to a single felony count for retaining classified information in a private diary, the Associated Press reported Thursday.

Under the agreement reached with federal prosecutors, the former Trump ally turned fierce critic faces up to 60 months in jail and a $2.25 million fine. 

The agreement marks a striking reversal for Bolton, who previously denied the charges and pleaded not guilty. He had accused the federal government of political prosecution. 

“For four decades, I have devoted my life to America’s foreign policy and national security. I would never compromise those goals. I tried to do that during my tenure in the first Trump administration but resigned when it became impossible to do so,” Bolton previously said.

“Now, I have become the latest target in weaponizing the Justice Department to charge those he deems to be his enemies with charges that were declined before or distort the facts,” he added.

Trump has previously denied directing the Justice Department officials to investigate Bolton or his political enemies.

“You don’t have to instruct them because they were so dirty, they were so crooked, they were so corrupt that the honest people we have … go after them automatically,” Trump told “60 Minutes.”

In August 2025, the FBI raided Bolton’s Maryland home and office in Washington, D.C., as part of a national security investigation, The Daily Wire reported at the time. Bureau agents seized multiple documents bearing some level of classified marking. 

“NO ONE is above the law… @FBI agents on mission,” FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X as the raid began. 

In October 2025, a federal grand jury returned an 18-count indictment against Bolton for retention and transmission of national defense information, The Daily Wire previously reported. 

According to the indictment, Bolton used a personal email account to send classified information to unauthorized recipients, including diary-like entries. The messages, which included phrases such as “More stuff coming!!!” and “None of which we talk about!!!, was also hacked by Iran. He reportedly shared highly classified information with his wife and daughter

Bolton is due back in federal court on June 26.

The Daily Wire reached out to the Department of Justice for comment.