Former National Security Adviser John Bolton Pleads Guilty to Keeping Classified Documents
前國家安全顧問約翰·波頓承認非法持有機密文件
Introduction
John Bolton, who previously served as the national security adviser to President Donald Trump, has pleaded guilty in a Maryland federal court to illegally keeping national defense information.
曾擔任川普總統國家安全顧問的約翰·波頓，在馬里蘭州聯邦法院承認非法持有國家國防資訊。
Main Body
The legal process ended on June 26, 2026, when Mr. Bolton admitted to one count of illegally keeping classified information. This is a major reduction from the original 18 charges filed in October 2025. The prosecution focused on the fact that Mr. Bolton shared over 1,000 pages of secret notes—which included Top Secret intelligence on foreign enemies and diplomatic plans—with two family members using unsecured AOL and Google accounts. He reportedly collected these materials while researching his 2020 book, 'The Room Where It Happened'.
法律程序於 2026 年 6 月 26 日結束，當時波頓先生承認一項非法持有機密資訊的罪名。這與 2025 年 10 月最初提出的 18 項指控相比大幅減少。檢方重點在於波頓先生使用不安全的 AOL 和 Google 帳戶，與兩名家庭成員分享了超過 1,000 頁的秘密筆記——其中包括關於外國敵人與外交計劃的最高機密情報。據報導，他在研究 2020 年出版的書籍《發生之室》（The Room Where It Happened）時收集了這些資料。
Furthermore, federal prosecutors emphasized that this security breach was dangerous because Iranian hackers accessed the personal accounts Mr. Bolton used, which put sensitive national defense data at risk. Although some people claim the government is using the Department of Justice to punish political enemies, legal experts argue that the Bolton case is different. They noted that the investigation began before the current administration's second term and was supported by professional federal prosecutors.
此外，聯邦檢察官強調，這次安全漏洞非常危險，因為伊朗駭客進入了波頓先生使用的個人帳戶，導致敏感的國家國防數據面臨風險。雖然有人聲稱政府利用司法部來懲罰政治對手，但法律專家認為波頓案件是不同的。他們指出，調查在現任政府第二任期前就已開始，且由專業的聯邦檢察官支持。
According to the plea agreement, Mr. Bolton has agreed to pay a fine of $2.25 million, give up his government pension, and complete 100 hours of community service. Additionally, he must participate in a debriefing with intelligence and Justice Department officials. The agreement limits his possible prison sentence to five years, although the final decision will be made by Judge Theodore D. Chuang.
根據認罪協議，波頓先生同意支付 225 萬美元罰款，放棄政府退休金，並完成 100 小時的社區服務。此外，他必須參與情報部門與司法部官員的簡報。該協議將他可能面臨的監禁時間限制在五年內，不過最終決定將由西奧多·D·莊法官做出。
Conclusion
Mr. Bolton is waiting for his sentencing on October 28, after accepting a deal that reduces his potential prison time and requires significant financial payments.
波頓先生在接受了一份減少潛在監禁時間但需要支付巨額款項的協議後，正等待 10 月 28 日的判刑。
Vocabulary Learning
⚡ The 'B2 Leap': Moving Beyond Simple Sentences
At the A2 level, you usually write short, separate sentences: "Mr. Bolton kept secret notes. He used Google. This was dangerous."
To reach B2, you must learn to glue these ideas together using complex structures. This article is a goldmine for this technique.
🧩 The Logic of "Although"
Look at this sentence:
"Although some people claim the government is using the Department of Justice to punish political enemies, legal experts argue that the Bolton case is different."
Why this is B2: Instead of using "but" in the middle of two sentences, the writer starts with "Although...". This tells the reader immediately that a contrast is coming. It creates a sophisticated balance between two opposing opinions in one single breath.
Try this shift:
- A2: It was raining, but we went to the park.
- B2: Although it was raining, we went to the park.
🖇️ The Power of Relative Clauses (Who/Which)
B2 speakers don't stop the sentence to give extra information; they embed it.
Example 1: "John Bolton, who previously served as the national security adviser..." Example 2: "...secret notes—which included Top Secret intelligence..."
By using , who... or , which..., you are adding a 'mini-sentence' inside your main sentence. This allows you to provide a lot of detail without sounding like a children's book.
🛠️ Vocabulary Upgrade: The 'Professional' Tone
Stop using "big" or "bad." Start using words that describe how something is bad. Notice these specific choices in the text:
- Instead of "Bad mistake" Security breach
- Instead of "Important info" Sensitive data
- Instead of "Said" Emphasized / Argued
Coach's Tip: When you want to move to B2, stop looking for the meaning of the word and start looking for the context. "Breach" isn't just a hole; in a legal context, it's a broken rule.