John Bolton back in court on classified documents charges

John Bolton, President Trump’s former national security adviser turned sharp critic, will return to a federal courtroom today to be re-arraigned on national security-related charges, marking the latest chapter in Trump’s apparent retribution tour against his political foes. 

This Video Is Trending Right Now →

Friday’s court appearance is listed as a “re-arraignment” on the court docket. Bolton had previously pleaded not guilty to charges related to mishandling classified information. But it was widely reported earlier this month that Bolton had reached a deal with federal prosecutors that would see him plead guilty to a single felony count of retaining classified information, facing up to five years in jail and a $2.25 million fine.

The single guilty count of keeping classified information in a private diary entry would mark a significant reduction in the severity of charges against Bolton. He had been facing 18 counts of retaining and leaking national defense information after he was indicted by a federal grand jury last October. 

The 26-page indictment charged Bolton with illegally retaining national defense information, including some labeled “top secret,” in his home and transmitting it by using personal email and messaging accounts. He initially pleaded not guilty to those charges. 

The plea deal would resolve a massive indictment that threatened Bolton with millions of dollars in legal fees and decades in prison. In MS NOW’s reporting of the expected guilty plea, sources said Bolton is not admitting to leaking classified information to the media or a foreign government, and that the only people who were exposed to the state secrets were his wife and daughter.

Bolton had served as Trump’s national security adviser before becoming a frequent and sharp critic of the president. He was viewed as an early target of Trump’s campaign to weaponize the Justice Department against his political enemies.