The original indictment carried 17 counts against him. Today, John Bolton has pleaded guilty to one felony of willfully retaining classified information. The plea agreement includes a max term of 5 years prison, $2.25 million fine and forfeiture of his federal pension.
U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes made the announcement saying: “John Robert Bolton II plead guilty in federal court to the unlawful retention of national defense information…Mr. Bolton faces a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison followed by a term of up to three years of supervised release. He will also pay a fine of $2.25 million and will forfeit his pension.”
.
Apparently, the fine is the income Bolton received from the book he authored using the classified information.
According to Politico the single charge plea “is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, but under the terms of the deal, Bolton, 77, can withdraw his plea and go to trial if Chuang decides a sentence of more than five years is warranted.”
How is this verdict and sentencing setting an example to dissuade future criminals? I don’t think it does. He just doesn’t get to go to parties anymore.
We need manacles and leg irons on parade
Understand but he’s done.
Publicly humiliated, reputation is dog doo, now only a “was been”, shamed by President Trump’s administration.
That’s worth something to us and would never have happened without President Trump.💥🦅🇺🇸
$2.5 million as a fine isn’t chump change either.
How is this verdict and sentencing setting an example to dissuade future criminals? I don’t think it does. He just doesn’t get to go to parties anymore.
We need manacles and leg irons on parade
There’s plenty going on behind the scenes.
Why would anyone need theatrics?
Watch for developments after the Independence celebrations and before the midterms.
Bolton was mixed up with some seriously dangerous international criminals and he hasn’t gotten away with anything.
Hell, he’s a seriously dangerous international criminal himself!
“He just doesn’t get to go to parties anymore.”
Good grief.
Are you for real?
0.o
Quick to rollover…Bolton has many rocks to turn over.
Five years in federal prison for a man his age is no cake walk.
True but they’ll probably reduce it and parole him.
He lost his precious security clearance so no hope using those revolving doors.
I would tend to agree. At his age (and since he continues to be useful to the Marxist Democrats for his continuing attacks against DJT), I doubt that he will do any meaningful time in prison. I’m assuming a radical Marxist judge, here, but I confess that I haven’t been following the case closely. Also, he breaks even on his book deal / income. The only thing that he actually looses is his pension, which somehow doesn’t seem sufficient, for trafficking in the Nation’s secrets. After all, they wanted to put DJT in prison for life, over the files which were confiscated at Mar-a-Lago, even though as POTUS DJT was free to declassify anything he damn well pleased.
Assuming a radical judge (which is a safe bet these days) Bolton will probably get the same style of slap on the wrist, that Biden got for stealing and carelessly leaving piles of classified documents next to his Corvette.
But he does do time in prison. At the age of 77, five years is significant. If he even makes it out of the slammer still upright, he’s lost his pension and more money ($2.25 million) than most of us would never see.
No, not enough but more than a slap on the wrist.
Hard to make the party Friday night when you’re behind bars…..
Unfortunately, he’ll still be a star at some DC Parties, until and much broader house cleaning occurs there especially.
1 down, rest of swamp to go…
judges should be on trial
Copped a plea and will do less than 5. Just my guess.
Biden did the same thing as a Senator and Vice President and got away with it. Unequal justice under the law!
If it is legal that criminality is scored according to one’s politics — and there is a great deal of precedent to claim that it is legal — then this is not unequal justice.
just saying
Thats just because Biden is Deluxe Scum.
I don’t think he’ll be jailed. Shame and penury s/b enough. Optics bad. Old man.
Shame and penury? Really?
He should be in prison for the maximum allowed, on probation for the maximum allowed, and fined by the maximum allowed. I don’t give two hoots in hell how old he is. If he survives to get out, fine. If he dies in prison, fine. Everything else is window dressing, because these psychopaths have no shame, period.
That hefty fine and loss of pension is a big deal , I don’t care how old you are.
Glad to see someone guilty FINALLY lose their pension. Remember Andrew McCabe?
Yup. The devil is in the details, though.
The system had no problem jailing Bannon and Novarro.
Two tier justice on trial once again. Not that I think Bolton should get off. But Sandy “pockets” Berger got nothing for his crime of stealing classified documents from the National Archives. Different rules for Democrats.
And Eric Holder skated on his part in the murders from Fast and Furious.
Plus Sandy “pockets” Berger almost certainly obstructed justice; however, he was not tried for that — I wonder why {/s}
<Plus Sandy “pockets” Berger almost certainly obstructed justice>
Berger was a sock puppet for the Clinton Administration.
A federal judge in September 2005 ordered Berger to pay a $50,000 fine for his actions and forfeit his security clearance for three years.
Lost his money lost his pension time in prison, he got more pain than some illegals. Losing his pension really hurts. In 5 years, Bolton can file for food stamps and a tent but most live in LA.
His life is over!
He won’t need his pension in jail.
His wife might.
I’m happy that he will lose his pension and the book proceeds
Bolton’s wife has had a 30 year career as a financial planner. He emailed the classified information to his wife and his daughter, thereby exposing them to possible prosecution. His sentence will have lasting negative impact on his “loved” ones.
If John Bolton had been a Democrat, he wouldn’t have copped a plea. He would have banked on a friendly judge dismissing the case; and if by some miracle the case had gone to a trial, a friendly jury would have acquitted him.
4 years 11 months and 28 days
Honestly that’s a pretty hard sentence. He’ll be 83 when he gets out and broke. For a man used to the life at the highest levels of power prison will be hard. Even doing it at Club Fed. His easy retirement of giving talks and appearances on CNN are gone.
It’s a consequence of his actions, made by his choices, and the law doesn’t dictate leniency. based on age, whether one receives a 30yr sentence @ 50; 20 yr sentence @ 60, 10 yr sentence @70 or a 5 yr sentence @77.
I do not believe for one second that Bolton will be broke by forfeiting his pension.
What other money has he squirreled away, and how much does his wife have (she’s a financial planner) in stocks, bonds, IRA’s CD’s, annuities, etc.?
The judge was appointed by Obama so he probably won’t serve much time, if any.
On to Comey and Brennan
Tony the Lawn Gnome.
The meglomaniac death doctor Lawn Gnome.
Maybe he could share a cell with fellow forever war bozo, Mike Pence.
What is our government going to do with that 2.25M + pension?
Send it in with the weekly $44M we send to the Taliban?
How many traitors are in the picture above?
does he get to keep his ‘stache?
His mustache has lost its power.
……………….“is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, but under the terms of the deal, Bolton, 77, can withdraw his plea and go to trial if Chuang decides a sentence of more than five years is warranted.”
In the meantime………can he be placed in the Jan. 6th holding cell for 15 years or so while a decision is made?
Swamp rats never get long sentences. Surprised that he got the fine, loss of pension and the light prison sentence.
That happened ONLY because he was a REPUBLICAN swamp rat. If it was Podesta, he’d have skated.
FAFOED!!!
What about this guy who just got deported back to the US a few months ago from Venezuela?
There’s an article about him being mixed up with Hezbollah and Maduro.
Biden gave him a pardon.
https://www.justice.gov/d9/2023-12/moran_warrant.pdf
0.o
https://www.hstoday.us/subject-matter-areas/counterterrorism/new-jersey-man-sentenced-to-12-years-in-prison-for-receiving-
military-type-training-from-hezbollah/
Nicolas Maduro’s ‘Bag Man’ Deported to US
Edited by: Rounak Bagchi
Updated May 17, 2026
0.o
I do not believe that this is nearly as nasty as Giuliani’s sentence, though I must admit that I am not clear on all the details of Giuliani’s sentence.
The Neo-Cons lost their waterboy.
IF he does jail time will it be in “Club Fed” or hard time in a federal penitentiary? Inquiring minds want to know.
Too bad justice did not catch him in his 50’s.
Highly doubtful a man of his service at the SES level plus all the other opportunities he’s had to make money with his knowledge about high level government direction and intent is going broke over this. He’s made plenty of $$$ over his lifetime.
From CINEWORTH website: ( 21 JULY 2025)
“Bolton’s assets include a substantial real estate portfolio, primarily in the Washington, D.C. area. He owns several properties in the Bethesda and Potomac neighborhoods, including a 10,000 square foot home in Potomac that he purchased in 2003. He also owns a ranch in Wyoming, which he uses for hunting and fishing. Bolton’s assets also include a significant investment portfolio, consisting of stocks, bonds, and other securities.”
**John Bolton’s Annual Income**
“Bolton’s annual income is primarily derived from his law practice, speaking engagements, and media appearances. His exact earnings are not publicly disclosed, but it is estimated that he earns several million dollars per year from these activities. Additionally, he receives a government pension from his years of service as a diplomat and government official.”
Other sites’ estimates range from $6,000,000 to $25,000,000.
i guess joe biden should be kissing his pension goodbye.
For you espionage buffs, the arrest of Tyler Kent during WWII is an interesting but mostly forgotten story. Bolton made me remember him.
If he goes to prison he better shave.
“……………He will also pay a fine of $2.25 million and will forfeit his pension.”
How much of a deterrent is this to the “I can do anything I want because I’m above the law” crowd in government?
As for Bolton and his actions, regardless of prison time served, he will spend the rest of his life knowing how history will remember him: The portrait of his life’s accomplishments now has a permanent, self inflicted urine stain running down the center of it.
He won’t get five days.
He had it comin’..
Justice? Close enough.
I will neither rejoice nor shed a tear.
But there’s a train load that deserve much worse.
Good.
Loss of pension? That is YUGE.
Guaranteed to strike fear in the stony little hearts
of a thousand other naughty DC cockroaches.
Could the spotlight soon be turning their way too?
If anyone has a right to be outraged by this plea agreement, it is Julian Assange. He paid a much higher price for releasing classified info that he, as a journalist, had no obligation to protect.
My guess is Bolton is “singing like a bird.”
John McCain Jr Bolton
To me the ultimate punishment is his having LOST HIS PENSION. Guess he’ll get a little social security, or downsize.
Love the look on Bolton’s face in the pic above. Looks like he’s getting a prostate exam.
He’s all over Youtube bad mouthing Trump like nothing has happened.
Let’s see how the corrupt judiciary handles this one.
I don’t have any confidence that justice will be served.
John Bolton’s arrogance and hubris is even bigger than his walrus sized mustache. Nice to see him get payback, after accusing Pres. Trump of doing exactly what he was doing himself…
I’m wondering about the “community service” aspect of his sentence. Will we see him in an orange vest picking up trash along the roads? He, no doubt, copped a plea to save his wife and daughter from prosecution. IMHO he got off easy with just one count out of 17. Regarding his age, that shouldn’t be a factor in deciding his punishment. Sentences are handed down without regard to age unless the criminal is a juvenile. There is no age range for adults. People die of old age in prison. It’s not uncommon.
The community service aspect- why not send him back to Venezuela to help clean up the devastating mess he helped create?
0.o
Schadenboner…
Lots of speculation, but the man has not been sentenced yet, if I understand the situation correctly.
The fact that he’s been convicted and has to pay some fines is a good thing, regardless of the details.
I hope he does some time, 5 years without parole sounds about right to me.
I distinctly heard on the news that he used no classified information in his book, which is it?
AWESOME!
So….what he claimed of Trump….he himself was and IS guilty of!
And Trump……never was!
Bolton is deepstate trash……establishment rot! And it’s nice to see some accountability.
Now can we see some of this for the Clintons, the Bidens, the Obama’s…….not to mention Comey, Brennan, Clapper, Baker and the rest…..and there are a lot of them.
Let’s just put them all in the same little hopper and call it……the traitors of America!
Here’s a link to a pdf of the indictment.
The first 19 pages are background and the outline of the CHARGES starts on page 20.
https://san.com/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2025/10/Bolton-indictment.pdf
0.o
Still looking for the complete Plea Agreement-parts of it may be classified, a pdf doesn’t seem to be available.
Here’s a link to the court filings:
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71668443/united-states-v-bolton/
0.o
Plea entered by John Robert Bolton II (1) Guilty Count on 12; Not Guilty on Counts 1-11 and 13-18.
0.o
More info:
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71668443/81/united-states-v-bolton/
0.o
Stipulation of Facts Attachment to above provided plea document:
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71668443/81/1/united-states-v-bolton/
0.o
Part of the Plea Agreement is in fact sealed:
82
Jun 26, 2026
-SEALED- PLEA SUPPLEMENT as to John Robert Bolton, II. (ds2s, Deputy Clerk) (Entered: 06/26/2026)
0.o
Five years in prison for John Bolton is close to a life sentence. It must be confirmed by the judge and enforced. His participation in the Nation’s business is now history. We have much bigger fish to fry. Justice is coming.
He’ll do 30 days, if he even does that. Disgraceful.