John Bolton, who previously served as national security adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump before becoming a sharp critic, plans to enter a guilty plea regarding his handling of classified materials, CNN reported Thursday based on information from three sources with knowledge of the situation.
According to CNN’s report, Bolton will plead guilty to a single charge of unlawfully keeping sensitive national security documents and has agreed to pay fines exceeding $2 million.
Federal court documents filed Thursday show Bolton is set to appear before a judge on June 26 to enter a revised plea in his case. The court filings did not specify what plea Bolton would enter.
When initially charged on October 17, 2025, Bolton entered a not guilty plea to accusations of improperly handling classified materials.
Bolton held the position of White House national security adviser under Trump’s first administration before becoming one of the president’s harshest public critics. The former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations wrote in a 2020 memoir that Trump was unsuitable for the presidency.
Federal prosecutors allege in their indictment that Bolton provided classified information to two family members for potential inclusion in a book project, including his notes from intelligence briefings and meetings with high-ranking government officials and foreign leaders.
The charges, filed in federal court in Maryland, include eight counts of transmitting national defense information and 10 counts of retaining national defense information, all violations of the Espionage Act.
