A former adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump and now a staunch critic, John Bolton, is expected to plead guilty on June 26 in federal court in a case involving the mishandling of classified information.
Sources previously told Reuters that Bolton will plead guilty as part of a deal with prosecutors that could result in a sentence ranging from no prison time to five years. The final sentence will be determined by a judge. According to the sources, as part of the agreement, Bolton will also pay a fine of 2.25 million U.S. dollars (2.91 million Singapore dollars).
Details of the charges and the agreement
Bolton is accused of sharing confidential information with two relatives for potential use in a book he was writing. This information included notes from intelligence briefings and meetings with senior government officials and foreign leaders. In 2025, he pleaded not guilty to 18 criminal charges.
Bolton, who served as national security adviser during Trump’s first term, is among several prominent political opponents who have faced prosecution by Trump’s Justice Department. This has disrupted long-standing norms that separated law enforcement actions from partisan considerations. However, unlike other cases against Trump’s critics, the investigation into Bolton began before Trump returned to office in 2025 and had the backing of career federal prosecutors.
Source: The Straits Times