- John Bolton, who served as national security adviser in Trump’s first term, pleaded guilty Friday to one count of illegally retaining classified information.
- This plea agreement with federal prosecutors could allow Bolton to avoid a prison term, though U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang will ultimately decide his punishment at the sentencing scheduled for October 28 in Greenbelt, Maryland.
- The deal recommends a maximum prison sentence of five years, but Bolton can withdraw his guilty plea if the judge imposes a longer sentence or a fine exceeding $2.25 million.
- Bolton was initially charged last October with 18 counts related to retaining or disseminating classified information, specifically focusing on diary-like notes he shared with family members while writing a memoir.
- The investigation, which included FBI searches of Bolton's home and office last August, began before Trump's return to the White House in January 2025, and Bolton had previously published a book critical of Trump's leadership after his departure from the administration in 2019.
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