John Bolton, President Donald Trump's former national security adviser, plans to plead guilty to mishandling classified documents and will pay a $2.25 million fine as part of a deal with federal prosecutors, US media reported on Thursday.
Mr Bolton, who served for more than a year in Mr Trump's first administration before being fired in 2019, is accused of sharing sensitive information with two of his relatives for possible use in a book he was writing.
The claimed documents included notes on intelligence briefings and meetings with senior government officials and foreign leaders.
Mr Bolton became a prominent critic of Mr Trump and many view his prosecution as politically motivated, at least in part. He described Mr Trump in a memoir as unfit to serve as president.
Agents raided his Maryland home in August and seized documents labelled “classified”, “confidential” and “secret” from his office, according to previously unsealed court filings.
Mr Bolton will plead guilty to one count of retaining classified information, based on diary entries detailing his work in Mr Trump's first term, at a court hearing on June 26, CNN and other outlets reported.
The deal recommends a sentencing range of no prison time up to five years behind bars, sources said.
A federal judge will determine the final sentence.
