Ex-Trump NSA John Bolton admits guilt after years of denials, faces up to 5 years behind bars
U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes says John Bolton "plead guilty in federal court to the unlawful retention of national defense information...Mr. Bolton faces a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison...He will also pay a fine of $2.25 million and will forfeit his pension." pic.twitter.com/EBTZcXoXRS
— CSPAN (@cspan) June 26, 2026
GREENBELT, MD: Former White House National Security Adviser John Bolton pleaded guilty on Friday, June 26, to retaining national security information, marking a dramatic reversal in one of the Justice Department's most closely watched prosecutions involving a former senior Trump administration official.
Bolton, who served as President Donald Trump's national security adviser from 2018 to 2019 before becoming one of his most outspoken critics, entered the plea during a re-arraignment hearing in federal court in Greenbelt, Maryland.
The agreement closes a case that began with a sweeping 2025 indictment alleging he unlawfully retained and transmitted sensitive national defense information after leaving government service.
The guilty plea replaces Bolton's earlier not-guilty plea and substantially reduces his potential legal exposure.
While the original indictment carried a possible sentence of up to 10 years on multiple counts, the plea agreement leaves him facing anywhere from probation to five years in prison.
According to court filings previously reported by multiple outlets, Bolton also agreed to pay $2.25 million in restitution.
Guilty plea ends lengthy battle
Bolton acknowledged retaining national security information that prosecutors said remained protected under federal law. He has maintained that the material consisted of an electronic diary entry shared only with two family members.
His attorney, Abbe Lowell, had previously argued that the diaries documented Bolton's four-decade government career, were unclassified personal records, and had long been known to federal investigators.
US District Judge Theodore D Chuang will determine Bolton's sentence within the next 90 days after reviewing the plea agreement and sentencing recommendations from both sides.
Case reshapes political landscape
The prosecution became one of the highest-profile criminal cases involving a former Trump administration official after Bolton emerged as a frequent critic of the president following his White House departure.
Federal prosecutors originally charged him with multiple counts of retaining and transmitting national defense information in October 2025.
Friday's guilty plea brings the years-long legal fight to a close while underscoring the Justice Department's continued focus on the handling of sensitive government records by former senior officials.
The outcome also marks another significant chapter in a series of politically prominent investigations involving former government leaders and Trump-era figures that have dominated Washington's legal landscape over the past year.
