John Bolton pleads guilty in classified information case
The former Trump national security adviser admitted unlawfully retaining classified material in federal court in Maryland, Al Jazeera reported.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
2 min read
John Bolton pleaded guilty Friday to unlawfully keeping classified information, Al Jazeera reported, marking a turn in a federal case against the former White House national security adviser. The plea matters because Bolton, a former senior aide to President Donald Trump who later became a prominent critic, had previously denied a broad set of criminal charges.
According to Al Jazeera, Bolton entered the plea during a hearing at the US District Court for the District of Maryland in Greenbelt. He had pleaded not guilty last year to 18 criminal counts in the case, the outlet reported.
Documents tied to book project
Al Jazeera reported that the case centered on classified material Bolton allegedly retained and shared with two relatives. The material was connected to possible use in a book he was writing, according to the report.
The documents included notes from intelligence briefings and meetings with senior US officials and foreign leaders, Al Jazeera reported. The report did not describe the specific classified information in detail.
Bolton served as national security adviser during Trump’s first term in office, Al Jazeera noted. After leaving the administration, he became a critic of Trump, placing him among several political opponents of the president who have faced prosecution, according to the outlet.
Investigation predated Trump’s return
Al Jazeera distinguished the Bolton matter from other cases involving Trump critics, reporting that the investigation began before Trump returned to the White House in 2025. The outlet also reported that career federal prosecutors supported the case.
That timing is central to how the case has been described. Al Jazeera reported that Bolton has been prosecuted under Trump’s Department of Justice, while also noting that the inquiry was already underway before the current administration took office.
Bolton appeared at the Maryland federal courthouse on June 26, 2026, according to a Reuters photograph cited by Al Jazeera. The report identified him as arriving for proceedings in Greenbelt on the day of the plea.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.