Bolton, 77, entered the guilty plea during a brief hearing in federal court outside Washington after reaching an agreement with prosecutors. Asked by the judge whether he was guilty, the longtime Republican foreign policy figure replied, “I am, Your Honor, and sorry for it.”
The single count carries a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. However, U.S. Attorney Kelly Hayes said after the hearing that the Justice Department will recommend a five-year prison sentence.
John Bolton is officially a Felon after Pleading Guilty to Unlawfully Retaining National Defense Information.
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) June 26, 2026
U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes: "Mr. Bolton faces a maximum sentence of up to 5 years in prison followed by a term of up to 3 years of supervised release. He will also pay… pic.twitter.com/VerPh4CbN3
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) June 26, 2026
