John Bolton pleads guilty to charge of retaining classified documents

John Bolton, President Trump’s former national security adviser turned sharp critic, returned to a federal courtroom today to plead guilty on a national security-related charge, marking the latest chapter in Trump’s apparent retribution tour against his political foes. 

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Bolton had previously pleaded not guilty to charges related to mishandling classified information. But Bolton reached a plea deal with federal prosecutors at the end of May that would see him plead guilty to a single felony count of retaining classified information.

When asked if it was his intention to plead guilty, Bolton responded, “I am, your honor, and I’m very sorry for that.”

U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang set a sentencing hearing for October 28. Bolton is facing up to five years in jail and a $2.25 million fine, per the terms of the plea agreement.

U.S. Attorney Kelly Hayes, who attended the arraignment, would not comment when asked if the government will seek prison time.

The single guilty count of keeping classified information in a private diary entry marks 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.

The plea deal resolves a massive indictment that threatened Bolton with millions of dollars in legal fees and decades in prison. In MS NOW’s earlier reporting of the expected plea deal, 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.