Ex-national security adviser John Bolton pleads guilty to illegally retaining classified information

Former US National Security Advisor John Bolton pleaded guilty on Friday to illegally holding onto classified national defense information, sealing a deal with federal prosecutors. This means he might avoid a long prison sentence, but he'll have to pay a big fine and do community service. Bolton admitted he improperly kept secret documents, some with very sensitive details about US government operations and foreign leaders, which he had shared with family members while writing his tell-all book. The case highlights serious worries about how top government officials handle sensitive national security secrets, especially after leaving office. Bolton shared these 'diary-like' notes, which included details about foreign military plans and intelligence from secret sources, with his wife and daughter. What's more concerning is that a personal email account he used for these shares was later hacked by someone linked to the Iranian government, putting US secrets at risk. This is happening while former President Donald Trump himself faced charges for keeping classified documents, though that case was later dropped. Bolton is expected to be sentenced in October, where a judge will decide his exact punishment, which could range from no jail time to up to five years. As part of his agreement, he will also lose his government pension and must talk to intelligence officials about the information he held onto. This outcome sends a clear message from the Justice Department: mishandling government secrets, even by high-ranking officials, will be taken seriously, aiming to ensure such breaches are not repeated.