WASHINGTON — John Bolton, who previously served as national security adviser in the Trump administration, has reached a plea agreement with federal prosecutors that will allow him to admit guilt to one charge of keeping classified information while potentially avoiding incarceration, according to a source with knowledge of the arrangement announced Thursday.
The plea bargain would settle criminal charges brought in October that accused Bolton of 18 separate violations involving either keeping or sharing classified materials, including personal notes resembling diary entries from his government service that authorities say he gave to family members while working on a book about his White House experience.
According to the source, who requested anonymity because the agreement hasn’t been publicly announced, Bolton would pay a $2.25 million penalty under the deal. While any jail term would be limited to five years maximum, the arrangement provides a path for him to serve no time in prison, though final sentencing decisions rest with the judge.
Bolton joins several other Trump critics who have faced prosecution during the past year under the Republican administration. Federal agents brought the investigation into public attention in August when they executed search warrants at Bolton’s Maryland residence and workplace.
A veteran figure in Republican national security policy known for his aggressive stance on projecting American strength, Bolton worked in Trump’s first term for over a year before his dismissal in 2019, after which he released a book critical of the former president.
The administration attempted without success to prevent publication of “The Room Where it Happened,” arguing the book could expose classified materials. The plea agreement Bolton will accept relates to notes he provided to family members rather than content from his published work.
Court records show a rearraignment hearing, which commonly indicates a plea deal, is set for June 26 at the federal courthouse in Greenbelt, Maryland.
The Justice Department has not provided any statement regarding the matter.
