GREENBELT, Md. (AP) 鈥� Former Trump administration national security adviser 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 President Donald Trump after serving in the Republican鈥檚 first administration, is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 28 by U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang in Greenbelt, Maryland.
Bolton, 77, pleaded guilty to a single count of illegally retaining national defense information, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years. His plea agreement with the Justice Department may enable him to avoid time behind bars, but the judge ultimately will decide his punishment.
The plea agreement recommends capping any prison sentence at five years, but the judge isn鈥檛 bound by that part of the deal. Bolton, who also agreed to pay a fine of $2.25 million, can withdraw his guilty plea if the judge imposes a longer prison sentence or a larger fine.
Bolton must pay half of the fine within five days of his plea and the balance within 90 days. He agreed to forfeit his retirement pay for his federal service. The plea deal also requires him to submit to a debriefing with federal intelligence officials and perform up to 100 hours of community service.
After a prosecutor read aloud a summary of his offenses, Bolton agreed that it was accurate.
鈥淚’m sorry for it,鈥� he told the judge.
Defense attorney Abbe Lowell said Bolton 鈥渄id what real leaders do鈥� by pleading guilty.
鈥淗e took responsibility for a mistake he made, thereby saving the government resources to pursue a case that could expose additional sensitive information,鈥� Lowell said in a statement after the hearing.
Bolton was charged last October with of either retaining or disseminating classified information, including diary-like notes that he shared with relatives as he wrote a memoir about his career in government.
Other Trump adversaries have been charged with federal crimes during his second term in the White House. While some of those cases have collapsed under judicial scrutiny and amid claims of political retribution, Bolton didn鈥檛 mount a vigorous defense against his charges before cutting a deal.
FBI agents searched Bolton鈥檚 Maryland home and Washington, D.C., office last August, but the investigation began before Trump returned to the White House in January 2025.
Bolton served for more than a year in Trump鈥檚 first administration before getting . He later published a book called that presented an unflattering portrait of Trump鈥檚 leadership.
The Trump administration fought unsuccessfully to block the book鈥檚 release, claiming it contained classified information that could jeopardize national security. Trump derided Bolton as a 鈥渃razy鈥� warmonger who would have led the country into 鈥淲orld War Six.鈥�
Bolton鈥檚 indictment focused on notes that he shared with his wife and daughter rather than the contents of his book. After sending one document, Bolton wrote in a message to his relatives, 鈥淣one of which we talk about!!!鈥� In response, one of his relatives wrote, 鈥淪hhhhh,鈥� prosecutors said.
___ Associated Press writer Eric Tucker contributed to this report.
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