Former National Security Adviser John Bolton to Plead Guilty to Keeping Classified Information
前國家安全顧問約翰·博爾頓將就保留機密資訊認罪
Introduction
John Bolton, who previously served as national security adviser to President Donald Trump, has reached a preliminary agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice. He has agreed to plead guilty to one felony charge of keeping classified national security information.
曾擔任總統川普國家安全顧問的約翰·博爾頓，已與美國司法部達成初步協議。他同意就一項保留國家安全機密資訊的重罪指控認罪。
Main Body
The legal case began with an October 2025 indictment that included 18 charges related to the handling of national defense information. Prosecutors claimed that between April 2018 and August 2025, Mr. Bolton kept 'diary-like' notes containing highly sensitive 'Top Secret' information. These documents, which included details about foreign enemies and secret operations, were allegedly sent via personal email and messaging apps to two relatives. However, the current plea deal focuses only on the keeping of these diary entries and does not include any charges regarding his 2020 book, 'The Room Where It Happened'.
此法律案件始於 2025 年 10 月的一份起訴書，其中包含 18 項與處理國防資訊相關的指控。檢方聲稱在 2018 年 4 月至 2025 年 8 月期間，博爾頓先生保留了類似「日記」的筆記，其中包含高度敏感的「最高機密」資訊。據稱這些文件包含關於外國敵人與秘密行動的詳情，並透過個人電子郵件及訊息應用程式發送給兩名親戚。然而，目前的認罪協議僅集中於保留這些日記記錄，不包括任何關於他 2020 年著作《The Room Where It Happened》的指控。
Some observers suggest this prosecution is part of a larger pattern of legal actions against political opponents of the Trump administration. Nevertheless, sources emphasize that the Bolton investigation started before the 2025 inauguration and was supported by professional federal prosecutors. Furthermore, the case was pushed forward after a 2021 discovery that Iranian hackers had broken into Mr. Bolton's personal email account, which led to a new federal investigation.
部分觀察人士認為，這次起訴是針對川普政府政治對手之更大法律行動模式的一部分。儘管如此，消息來源強調，對博爾頓的調查在 2025 年就職典禮前就已開始，並由專業的聯邦檢察官支持。此外，在 2021 年發現伊朗駭客入侵博爾頓先生的個人電子郵件帳號後，引發了新的聯邦調查，該案件隨後被推進。
According to the agreement, Mr. Bolton will pay a fine of $2.25 million. While sentencing rules allow for anything from probation to five years in prison, the agreement suggests he might avoid jail time. A new court hearing is scheduled for June 26 in Greenbelt, Maryland, where a judge must approve the deal.
根據協議，博爾頓先生將支付 225 萬美元的罰金。雖然量刑規則允許從緩刑到五年監禁不等，但協議暗示他可能能免於入獄。新的法庭聆訊定於 6 月 26 日在馬里蘭州格林貝爾特舉行，屆時法官必須批准該協議。
Conclusion
Mr. Bolton is expected to officially plead guilty on June 26. This resolves a case that demonstrated the conflict between writing personal memoirs and protecting government secrets.
博爾頓先生預計將於 6 月 26 日正式認罪。這解決了一起展現了撰寫個人回憶錄與保護政府秘密之間衝突的案件。
Vocabulary Learning
⚡ The 'Logic Link' Strategy
To move from A2 to B2, you must stop using simple sentences (like 'and' or 'but') and start using Logical Connectors. These are words that tell the reader how two ideas relate to each other.
Look at these three phrases from the text:
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"Nevertheless" Used to show a surprising contrast.
- A2 style: "Some people think this is political, but it started early."
- B2 style: "Some observers suggest this is political. Nevertheless, sources emphasize the investigation started before the inauguration."
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"Furthermore" Used to add a second, stronger point.
- A2 style: "Also, hackers broke into his email."
- B2 style: "Furthermore, the case was pushed forward after a 2021 discovery that Iranian hackers had broken into his account."
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"While" Used to compare two different possibilities in one sentence.
- A2 style: "He could go to prison. Or he could just pay a fine."
- B2 style: "While sentencing rules allow for... five years in prison, the agreement suggests he might avoid jail time."
💡 Pro Tip for the Transition: Instead of starting every sentence with the subject (e.g., "He...", "The case..."), start with these connectors. It changes the rhythm of your English from 'robotic' to 'fluid.'
Vocabulary Shift: The 'Legal' Layer Notice how the text doesn't just say "crime." It uses specific B2-level terms:
- Plead guilty: To officially admit in court that you did the crime.
- Indictment: A formal charge or accusation of a serious crime.
- Probation: A period of time where you are not in prison, but the court monitors your behavior.