John Bolton to Plead Guilty in Classified Documents Case
John Bolton, former national security advisor to Donald Trump who later became one of his most vocal critics, has reached an agreement to plead guilty in his federal case concerning classified documents, according to two individuals familiar with the matter.
Last year, federal prosecutors indicted Bolton on 18 counts related to the improper handling of classified material. Bolton initially entered a plea of not guilty.
Under the terms of the deal, Bolton will plead guilty to a single count of retention of national defence information and will pay a fine of $2.25 million, the sources said, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the not-yet-public agreement.
Bolton is expected to formally enter his guilty plea during a re-arraignment hearing scheduled for 26 June.
A spokesperson for the US attorney's office in Maryland, which is managing the case, confirmed the hearing date to the BBC but declined to provide further comment. The Department of Justice also declined to comment on the matter.
The plea agreement remains subject to approval by a judge before it can be finalized.
According to one individual familiar with the deal, the plea arrangement recommends no jail time; however, the ultimate sentencing decision will be made by a judge at a separate hearing.
The charge carries a maximum potential sentence of up to 60 months in prison.
Details of the Indictment and Allegations
The Department of Justice charged Bolton in October of the previous year, alleging that he endangered the public by mishandling classified documents, some of which were designated as top secret or sensitive compartmented information. These documents were handled during and after his tenure as national security advisor from April 2018 to September 2019.
The indictment specifically referenced "diary-like" entries from Bolton's time as national security advisor, which contained national defence information classified up to the top secret level. It was alleged that Bolton transmitted some of these materials to two relatives while writing his book about his tenure in the Trump administration.
The single charge to which Bolton will plead guilty pertains to these diary-like entries, according to the sources familiar with the plea deal who spoke to the BBC.
Context and Comparisons to Other Cases
Bolton's indictment followed other high-profile criminal cases against critics of Trump, including former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Since leaving the Trump administration, Bolton has been openly critical of the former president and authored a book containing such criticisms. Trump has publicly suggested that Bolton should face jail time.
However, former federal prosecutors and legal experts have indicated to the BBC that Bolton's case differs from prosecutions of other Trump critics due to the evidence collected by prosecutors.
"The ambassador has admitted to what he has done," one person familiar with Bolton's plea deal told the BBC.
Bolton also recognized that continuing to contest the case could have led to the release of additional classified information in his defense, which he wished to avoid to prevent harm to the United States, the individual added.
"Unlike others, he's stood up and said he takes responsibility," the person said.
