John Bolton

John Bolton, a former U.S. National Security Adviser, is currently involved in a criminal case regarding the mishandling of classified information. In October 2025, Bolton was indicted by a federal grand jury in Maryland on 18 counts: eight counts of unlawful transmission of national defense information and 10 counts of unlawful retention of national defense information. The charges stem from allegations that he used personal email and messaging apps to share classified diary-like entries with family members and retained sensitive documents at his home and office. In July 2026, Bolton pleaded guilty to one felony count of illegal retention of national security information. Under the terms of the plea agreement, he will forfeit approximately $2.2 million, perform 100 hours of community service, and forfeit federal retirement pay. Prosecutors agreed not to seek a sentence exceeding 60 months, though sentencing remains at the judge's discretion. Previously, in 2020, the Trump administration unsuccessfully sued to block the publication of Bolton's memoir, *The Room Where It Happened*, over concerns regarding classified content. Bolton has denied all allegations of wrongdoing throughout his career.