Former Trump national security adviser Bolton pleads guilty in classified files case
Key takeaways
- John Bolton, a former national security adviser to US President Donald Trump who has since become one of his most vocal critics, pleaded guilty Friday to withholding classified documents related to national defence.
- By: FRANCE 24 Former White House national security adviser John Bolton arrives at the US District Court for the District of Maryland, in Greenbelt, Maryland on June 26, 2026.
- Bolton pleaded guilty to a single count of illegally retaining classified information.
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John Bolton, a former national security adviser to US President Donald Trump who has since become one of his most vocal critics, pleaded guilty Friday to withholding classified documents related to national defence.
By: FRANCE 24 Former White House national security adviser John Bolton arrives at the US District Court for the District of Maryland, in Greenbelt, Maryland on June 26, 2026. © Tom Brenner, Reuters Former Trump administration national security adviser John Bolton pleaded guilty on Friday to illegally retaining classified information, sealing a deal with federal prosecutors that could allow him to avoid a prison term.
Bolton, who became an outspoken critic of US President Donald Trump after serving in the Republican’s first administration, is scheduled to be sentenced on October 28 by US District Judge Theodore Chuang in Greenbelt, Maryland.