John Bolton, former US national security adviser and now a vocal critic of Donald Trump, has agreed to plead guilty to one count of retaining classified information. Under the deal with the US Justice Department, Bolton faces a $2.2 million fine but is expected to avoid prison time, according to US media reports.

In August 2025, federal agents raided Bolton's home and office, and a criminal case was filed in October of that year. He was initially charged with 18 counts of retaining or disseminating classified information and pleaded not guilty.

The indictment alleged that Bolton shared diary-like notes from his time in government with two relatives while preparing his White House memoir. The notes reportedly included details from intelligence briefings and meetings with senior officials and foreign leaders.

Bolton's book, "The Room Where It Happened," was published in 2021 after Trump's administration unsuccessfully tried to block its release. The memoir portrays Trump as lacking basic knowledge of government and geopolitics and being unfit to lead.

The plea deal is expected to cover only the notes shared with relatives, not the information in the book. Bolton has continued to criticize Trump publicly, calling him a "laughing fool" in May.

Since Trump returned to office for a second term, his administration has been accused of using the US legal system to target political enemies. A Reuters investigation found that at least 470 people, organizations, and institutions have been targeted for retribution since January 2025.

Source: www.dw.com