Former Trump administration national security adviser John Bolton pleaded guilty on Friday to illegally retaining classified information, sealing a deal with federal prosecutors that could allow him to avoid a prison term.

Guilty Plea and Sentencing

Bolton, 77, of Bethesda, Maryland, pleaded guilty to a single count of illegally retaining national defense information, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years. His plea agreement with the Justice Department may enable him to avoid time behind bars, but the judge ultimately will decide his punishment.

The plea agreement recommends capping any prison sentence at five years, but the judge isn’t bound by that part of the deal. Bolton, who also agreed to pay a fine of $2.25 million, can withdraw his guilty plea if the judge imposes a longer prison sentence or a larger fine.

Background and Investigation

Bolton was charged last October with 18 counts of either retaining or disseminating classified information, including diary-like notes that he shared with relatives as he wrote a memoir about his career in government. FBI agents searched Bolton’s Maryland home and Washington, D.C., office last August, but the investigation began before Trump returned to the White House in January 2025.

Bolton served as national security adviser for more than a year in Trump’s first administration before getting pushed out in 2019. He later published a book called ‘The Room Where it Happened’ that presented an unflattering portrait of Trump’s leadership.

Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.