The previous advisor to President Trump, John Bolton, has officially pleaded guilty to one count of mishandling classified information. Before criticizing President Trump, Bolton first served under the president as his National Security Advisor for 17 months during Trumps first term as president. However, tensions soon rose between the two, with many people citing strong disagreements and opposing views as a reason for Bolton’s resignation.
Early morning, on Friday, 26th, 2026, Bolton appeared in federal court, where, standing before Judge Theodore D. Chuang, Bolton pleaded guilty to one charge of mishandling classified documents during Trump’s first administration. As reported by NBC News, “Bolton pleaded guilty to one count of unauthorized retention of national defense information out of the 18 with which he was initially charged.”
In addition to this, “[Bolton] faces a prison sentence of up to 60 months and has agreed to pay $2.25 million, prosecutors said. He is set to be sentenced Oct. 28.”
While I am glad that Bolton is facing the consequences of his actions and pleading guilty, I am left wondering why he does not plead guilty to their other charges of unauthorized retention of national defense information. While originally being indicted with 18 accounts by a federal grand jury, Bolton only took responsibility for one charge. But why is that exactly?
Well, upon further research, Bolton has decided to take a plea agreement that would allow him a less severe sentence. As reported by NPR,“Under the plea agreement, Bolton could serve up to five years in federal prison and would have to pay a fine of $2.25 million — half of which would have to be paid within five days of his sentencing. He will also forgo any retirement benefits related to his work with the government, for himself or his family.”
