Former Trump Adviser John Bolton Pleads Guilty in Classified Files Case

John Bolton has pleaded guilty to withholding national defense information, agreeing to a $2.25 million fine in a case spanning two administrations

Justin Tomlinson

Editor-in-Chief, Mora Discover

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Former Trump Adviser John Bolton Pleads Guilty in Classified Files Case

John Bolton, a former national security adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump who has since become one of his most vocal critics, pleaded guilty on Friday to withholding classified documents related to national defense. Bolton, a hawkish national security figure who served during Trump's first term in office, entered the plea to one count of retaining national defense information in a federal court in Maryland.[1][2][3]

The plea agreement reached in federal court calls for Bolton to pay a fine of $2.25 million. The legal inquiry into the mishandling of classified information spanned both the Trump and Biden administrations, and Bolton could face time in prison as a result of the charges.[3][4]

Since serving in the administration, Bolton has become a frequent media commentator. He has emerged as a prominent critic of the former president, despite his previous role as Trump's national security adviser.[1][2][3]

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