June 26, 2026, 6:47 p.mJune 26, 2026, 6:47 p.m
Former US National Security Advisor John Bolton has admitted his guilt in the trial over the handling of classified documents. Bolton changed his plea in federal court and pleaded guilty and asked for an apology, as the Washington Post reported from the courtroom.
The guilty plea is therefore part of an agreement with the public prosecutor’s office, which includes, among other things, a prison sentence of a maximum of five years. The court still has to approve the agreement. The 77-year-old is accused of passing on classified information and illegally storing top-secret documents in his home during his time as Trump’s national security adviser.
Resignation after dispute with Trump
Bolton served as National Security Advisor for a time during Trump’s first term (2017-2021). The long-time diplomat, who is considered a foreign policy hardliner, resigned after around a year and a half in office in a dispute with Trump. He then became one of his harshest critics: in 2020, Bolton published a tell-all book in which he painted a damning picture of Trump. The Trump administration tried in vain to stop the publication. (sda/dpa)