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Donald Trump’s former national security adviser John Bolton has pleaded guilty to mishandling classified security information in memos he compiled for a book.
Bolton, now a prominent critic of the US president, was indicted on 18 counts of mishandling classified material and initially pleaded not guilty.
On Friday, he pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful possession of classified information. The documents he kept included a diary containing national defense information, some of which was classified as top secret.
According to US media reports, Bolton could face up to five years in prison, although the plea deal could help him avoid prison time.
After the judge read the allegations against Bolton in court on Friday, including sending the diary information to his family, Bolton said the charges were true, according to the BBC’s US affiliate CBS News.
“I did your honor,” Bolton said of today’s deed. “Sorry about that,” he added.
Bolton He was fired from Trump’s first administration in 2019. His 2020 memoir, Trump’s Place, recounted his time working under Trump, portraying him as a president who didn’t understand geopolitics.
The White House sued to prevent the book from being published, saying it contained classified information and was not properly vetted. A judge rejected the request and the book was released days later.
The United States Department of Justice has opened an investigation into whether Bolton mishandled classified information by disclosing parts of the book.
He was also accused of passing on some secret documents to two relatives from his time as National Security Advisor.
Bolton has continued to criticize the president ever since. Trump responded by suggesting Bolton go to jail, calling him a “sleazebag.”
The lawsuit alleges that at one point a hacker gained access to Bolton’s account, stockpiled documents and threatened to trigger “the biggest scandal since Hillary[Clinton’s]emails.”
Bolton’s indictment follows other high-profile criminal charges against Trump critics, including former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
