Trump's former adviser is prepared to plead guilty in the classified documents case – CNN

Former U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton has reached a formal agreement with law enforcement authorities to plead guilty in a case involving the mishandling of classified and secret materials. 

Under the terms of the agreement, Bolton intends to plead guilty to one criminal charge related to the unlawful retention of classified national defense documents. 

In addition, the former high-ranking official agreed to pay the government a fine of over $2 million. A conviction on this charge carries a wide range of penalties—from probation to imprisonment for up to 60 months (5 years). The U.S. Department of Justice has refrained from making official comments, but the court docket indicates that the final hearing in this case is scheduled for June 26, 2026.

John Bolton served as National Security Advisor during Donald Trump’s first term in 2018–2019 and was fired due to deep differences in views. After his resignation, he became a vocal critic of Trump, published a controversial memoir in 2020, and publicly accused the former president of mishandling classified information (which subsequently prompted FBI raids at Mar-a-Lago).

However, Bolton himself later found himself at the center of a similar investigation: on August 22, 2025, the FBI raided his home in Washington, and by October 2025, the Department of Justice had formally charged him on 18 counts, including the unlawful transmission and concealment of materials constituting national defense secrets. The current agreement will allow the former adviser to avoid a lengthy trial on all 18 counts.

This was reported by the American television network CNN.

Former U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton sharply criticized the actions of U.S. administrations regarding Ukraine since 2014. According to him, Washington’s policy was insufficient, and this led to Russia continuing its aggression. 

John Bolton stated that the U.S. administration’s remarks about Greenland are harmful to American security. He called the White House deputy chief of staff’s statement “naive” and warned of risks to NATO. Bolton also believes the U.S. is making a mistake by not supporting Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado.