Ex-Trump Adviser John Bolton Faces Up to Five Years in Prison and £1.67m Fine For Sharing Classified Files

Former US national security adviser to US President Donald Trump, John Bolton, will pay a $2.25 million (roughly £1.67 million) fine after agreeing to plead guilty to retaining classified information, sources say.

According to multiple reports, the agreement would require Bolton to admit guilt to a single count of illegal retention of national security information, pay a fine, and face a potential prison sentence of up to five years, subject to the judge's approval.

When the case was filed in October 2025, Bolton pleaded not guilty to an indictment containing 18 counts related to the alleged retention and dissemination of classified information. He argued he was innocent, pointing to political motivation behind his prosecution.

Case Centres on Records from White House Service

Court filings allege that Bolton kept and shared diary-style records documenting his work while serving as national security adviser in the White House during Trump's first administration.

Prosecutors allege Bolton had shared 'more than a thousand pages of information about his day-to-day activities' with two unauthorised recipients who were later identified as his daughter and his wife, per CNN.

The indictment also alleged that certain documents included details relating to intelligence collection methods, foreign adversaries, and other government activities considered sensitive. Prosecutors maintained that such information required strict protection because of its potential impact on national security interests.

Bolton argued he was innocent, saying that he was being targeted. 'I have become the latest target in weaponising the justice department to charge those he deems to be his enemies with charges that were declined before or distort the facts,' he said in October, speaking to The Telegraph UK.

Plea Deal Could Limit Legal Exposure

Under the proposed agreement, Bolton would be pleading guilty to one count rather than face trial on all 18 charges.

Bolton's guilty plea will not cover allegations that he removed or distributed classified documents. Instead, it relates to accusations that he recorded sensitive national security information in personal notes. The charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

Bolton's case attracted attention because of his role in the Trump administration and his later emergence as one of the president's sharpest Republican critics.

His 2020 memoir generated controversy by describing internal debates and decision-making processes within the White House, prompting disputes over the handling of government information.

The original indictment accused Bolton of 18 charges, including eight counts related to sharing national defence information and 10 counts tied to retaining such information.

For years. Trump urged authorities to pursue Bolton over his 2020 memoir, maintaining that it included classified material and warranted criminal penalties.

Political Attention Surrounds High-Profile Case

The prosecution has unfolded against a politically charged backdrop. Bolton has previously argued that the case reflected political motives, while supporters of the investigation have maintained that the matter concerns the proper safeguarding of sensitive government information.

Reuters reported that the investigation began before Trump's return to office in 2025 and involved career Justice Department prosecutors. The case therefore, spans multiple administrations and has become part of a debate about how classified information cases are handled when they involve senior political figures.

A hearing is scheduled for 26 June, when Bolton is expected to formally change his plea. The outcome could close a lengthy legal battle that has drawn national attention because of both the sensitive information involved and Boston's prominent place in recent US political history.