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If the agreement is finalized in court, it would represent a significant shift from Bolton’s earlier legal strategy. When federal prosecutors first brought charges against him, the longtime Washington insider entered a plea of not guilty and publicly challenged the accusations.
The former national security adviser, now 77 years old, was indicted in October 2025 on a total of 18 criminal counts. The charges included eight counts alleging unlawful transmission of national defense information and ten counts alleging unlawful retention of national defense information.
Federal prosecutors claimed Bolton improperly held onto classified materials after departing government service. Investigators further alleged that some of the sensitive information was contained in diary-style notes that were shared with family members.
Authorities also accused Bolton of storing classified documents on personal electronic devices rather than securing them through approved government channels.
While details of the reported plea agreement have not yet been publicly released through court filings, records indicate that Bolton is scheduled to appear before a federal judge on June 26. During that hearing, he is expected to enter a new plea that could officially bring the case to a close.
The legal saga is especially notable given Bolton’s history with President Trump.
Bolton served as Trump’s national security adviser between 2018 and 2019 before a highly publicized split between the two men. What began as a key role inside the administration eventually deteriorated into a bitter political feud.
Since leaving the White House, Bolton has repeatedly positioned himself as one of Trump’s harshest Republican critics. He has frequently appeared on television and in interviews criticizing the president’s policies, particularly in the area of foreign affairs.
After prosecutors announced the indictment, Bolton strongly rejected the allegations. He insisted that he had done nothing wrong and argued that the case was motivated by politics rather than facts.
At the time of CNN’s report, neither Bolton nor the Department of Justice had issued an immediate public statement regarding the reported agreement.
Should the plea deal move forward as expected, it would eliminate the possibility of a high-profile trial involving one of the most recognizable former officials from the Trump administration.
The prosecution focused heavily on claims that Bolton failed to properly safeguard sensitive national security materials after leaving government service. Prosecutors argued that the information remained protected even after his White House tenure ended and that strict handling requirements continued to apply.
For years, Bolton built a reputation as one of Washington’s most influential foreign policy figures, serving in multiple administrations and occupying some of the nation’s most sensitive national security positions. The reported decision to plead guilty would therefore represent a remarkable conclusion to a case involving a veteran government official who once held access to some of America’s most closely guarded secrets.
With a court appearance now scheduled later this month, all eyes will be on whether the reported agreement becomes official and what additional details may emerge regarding one of the most consequential legal cases involving a former senior national security official in recent years.
