John Bolton, a former national security adviser turned outspoken critic of President Donald Trump, is expected to plead guilty in a case involving his alleged mishandling of classified materials.
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Bolton had previously pleaded not guilty in the case. A change of plea hearing is scheduled for June 26, according to a spokesperson for the U.S. attorney’s office in Maryland. The spokesperson declined to comment further.
It was not immediately clear on which counts Bolton plans to plead guilty. He was indicted on 18 counts of mishandling classified information. A plea is not finalized until it has been accepted by a judge.
Federal prosecutors accused Bolton last year of sharing with two relatives more than 1,000 pages of “diary-like” updates detailing his sensitive work from 2018 to 2019, when he served as national security adviser during Trump’s first term. The relatives were assisting him in preparing a book he published in 2020, according to court documents.
Bolton allegedly sent classified material through a personal email account that was later hacked by someone U.S. authorities believe was linked to the Iranian government. Other sensitive materials were later found by FBI agents during an August search of Bolton’s home in Bethesda, Maryland, and office in downtown Washington, the indictment alleges.
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The Justice Department declined to comment Thursday. CNN first reported Bolton’s plans to plead guilty.
Although the indictment against Bolton stems from an investigation launched during President Joe Biden’s administration, the charges came as the Justice Department during Trump’s second term has pursued multiple cases against the president’s perceived foes.
Unlike other attempted prosecutions that have faltered in the courts, including against former FBI director James B. Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James (D), the case against Bolton appeared to be comparatively strong, legal experts have said.
Salvador Rizzo contributed to this report. This is a developing story and will be updated.
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