John Bolton, President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, reportedly has reached an agreement with federal prosecutors to plead guilty to mishandling classified materials.
The Trump aide-turned-critic is expected to avoid jail time but will be assessed a $2.25 million fine, according to multiple reports. Bolton pleaded not guilty in October, but a hearing to change his plea is scheduled for June 26, according to The Washington Post.
Bolton’s plea agreement calls for him to admit to one count of retaining national defense information, The Post reported. A grand jury indicted him last year on 18 counts of mishandling classified information — each of which carried a potential sentence of 10 years in prison.
Although Bolton could avoid prison, his plea deal is not final until a judge accepts it.
What is Bolton accused of?
In October, prosecutors alleged that Bolton had shared more than 1,000 pages of “diary-like” updates with two family members. The documents detailed his work as the national security adviser during the first Trump administration from 2018 to 2019. According to prosecutors, Bolton received help from his relatives in gathering materials for his book, “The Room Where It Happened,” which he released in 2020.
They said Bolton used his personal email account to send classified materials, which were later hacked. The hacker was linked to the Iranian government, according to U.S. officials.
“A representative for Bolton notified the U.S. government of the hack in or about July 2021, but did not tell the U.S. government that the account contained national defense information, including classified information, that Bolton had placed in the account from his time as national security adviser,” court documents stated.
The New York Times reported that the hacker had even taunted Bolton, warning his team the information would be leaked to the FBI.
“I do not think you would be interested in the F.B.I. being aware of the leaked content of John’s email (some of which have been attached),” the hacker wrote. “This could be the biggest scandal since Hillary’s emails were leaked, but this time on the G.O.P. side! Contact me before it’s too late.”
Federal agents who raided Bolton’s home and office in August allegedly discovered more classified materials in his possession.
A frequent critic
Bolton left the first Trump administration frustrated with the president over his diplomatic decisions regarding the Iranian government in 2019.
Since his departure, Bolton has become a frequent critic of Trump, often criticizing his actions in Iran. Bolton believes Trump needs to go further in his attacks. During an interview with PBS in late May, Bolton said it would be a mistake if Trump allowed Iran to negotiate to retain control of the Strait of Hormuz.
“I think [Iran] will believe they can turn the Strait of Hormuz on and off like a light switch,” he said. “And if we’re not prepared to use force today, who in the future is going to be prepared to use it?”
Bolton’s frequent attacks on Trump have made him a target of the current administration, which has pursued criminal cases against several of the president’s perceived enemies. But Bolton’s would be the first case to end with a conviction.
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