Trump revokes Bolton's security clearance following guilty plea deal
Trump revokes Bolton's security clearance after Bolton's guilty plea in classified documents case.
Event / Politics
John Bolton Classified Materials Case
Former National Security Adviser John Bolton agreed to plead guilty to felony charges of retaining classified information, facing a $2.25 million fine and potential 60-month prison sentence following an October 2025 indictment.
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2026-08-16 to 2026-11-13 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 5 Jun, 00:02 UTC
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What happened
John Bolton agrees to plead guilty to retaining classified information
Former National Security Adviser John Bolton has agreed to plead guilty to a single count of retaining classified information contained in a private diary entry. The plea deal was reached with federal prosecutors and is scheduled for a hearing on June 26.
Bolton indicted on 18 counts related to classified information mishandling
In October 2025, a federal grand jury indicted John Bolton on 18 counts in connection with alleged mishandling of classified information. Federal prosecutors accused Bolton of using personal email to share more than a thousand pages of sensitive national security documents with individuals believed to be his wife and daughter.
FBI raids John Bolton's home and office in classified documents investigation
In August 2025, FBI agents conducted a raid on John Bolton's home and office under orders from FBI Director Kash Patel as part of the investigation into alleged transmission of top secret information using personal online accounts and retention of classified documents in violation of federal law.
John Bolton served as Trump's national security adviser from 2018 to 2019
John Bolton served as President Donald Trump's national security adviser from April 2018 to September 2019, before becoming a public critic of the president during the 2024 election cycle.
Bolton plea deal includes $2.25 million fine and up to 60 months prison sentence
Under the plea agreement, John Bolton faces a fine of more than $2 million and a potential prison sentence of up to 60 months (5 years) on the single felony count of retaining classified information.
Trump revokes Bolton's security clearance and cancels Secret Service protection
President Trump revoked John Bolton's security clearance and canceled his Secret Service protection detail, which had been approved by the Biden administration following FBI discovery of evidence of an Iranian assassination plot against Bolton.
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Bolton agrees to plead guilty in classified documents case
Former national security adviser Bolton pleads guilty to retaining classified documents.