Ex-Trump adviser John Bolton pleads guilty to mishandling classified documents
Former Trump national security adviser John Bolton has pleaded guilty to a single charge of illegally retaining classified information found in his memoir notes. He faces up to five years in prison and has agreed to pay a $2.25 million fine.
Why it matters
The case highlights ongoing legal scrutiny regarding the handling of classified documents by high-level government officials.
Image source, Getty Images By Max Matza Published 26 June 2026, 15:21 BST Updated 2 minutes ago John Bolton, a former national security adviser to Donald Trump, has pleaded guilty to mishandling classified security information as part of notes he compiled for a book.
The report relies on court proceedings and official statements from prosecutors.
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