Former National Security Adviser John Bolton to Enter Guilty Plea Regarding Retention of Classified Information

前國家安全顧問約翰·波頓將就保留機密資訊一事認罪

Jun 4, 2026, 21:06

Introduction

John Bolton, a former national security adviser to President Donald Trump, has reached a provisional agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice to plead guilty to a single felony count of retaining classified national security information.

前總統川普的國家安全顧問約翰·波頓，已與美國司法部達成初步協議，承認一項保留國家安全機密資訊的重罪。

Main Body

The legal proceedings originate from an October 2025 indictment comprising 18 counts related to the retention and dissemination of national defense information. The prosecution alleged that between April 2018 and August 2025, Mr. Bolton maintained 'diary-like' records containing material classified up to the Top Secret/SCI level. These documents, which included intelligence on foreign adversaries and covert operations, were allegedly transmitted via personal email and messaging applications to two unauthorized relatives. While the initial indictment focused on these transmissions, the current plea agreement specifically addresses the retention of the classified diary entries and does not allege wrongdoing regarding the publication of Mr. Bolton's 2020 memoir, 'The Room Where It Happened'.

此法律程序源於 2025 年 10 月的一份起訴書，包含 18 項與保留及傳播國防資訊相關的指控。檢方指控波頓先生在 2018 年 4 月至 2025 年 8 月期間，保存了類似「日記」的記錄，其中包含最高至「最高機密/敏感區分資訊」（Top Secret/SCI）等級的內容。據稱，這些文件包含關於外國對手與秘密行動的情報，並透過私人電子郵件和訊息應用程式傳送給兩名未獲授權的親屬。雖然最初的起訴重點在於這些傳送行為，但目前的認罪協議專門針對保留機密日記條目的問題，且未指控波頓先生 2020 年出版的回憶錄《權力之室》（The Room Where It Happened）有任何違法行為。

Institutional context suggests the prosecution occurred amidst a broader pattern of legal actions against perceived political adversaries of the Trump administration, including former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. However, sources indicate that the Bolton investigation was distinguished by its initiation prior to the 2025 presidential inauguration and the continued support of career federal prosecutors. The case was further catalyzed by a 2021 discovery of a cyber-intrusion into Mr. Bolton's personal email account, attributed to Iranian actors, which prompted a renewed federal inquiry.

機構背景顯示，此次起訴發生在針對川普政府認定的政治對手採取廣泛法律行動的模式中，包括前 FBI 局長詹姆斯·柯米與紐約州總檢察長萊蒂西亞·詹姆斯。然而，消息來源指出，波頓的調查之處在於其啟動時間早於 2025 年總統就職典禮，且持續獲得職業聯邦檢察官的支持。2021 年發現波頓先生的私人電子郵件帳號遭到伊朗駭客入侵，進一步促使聯邦當局重新調查。

Under the terms of the agreement, Mr. Bolton will face a financial penalty of $2.25 million. The sentencing guidelines provide a range from probation to a maximum of 60 months of incarceration, though the agreement suggests the possibility of avoiding imprisonment. A re-arraignment is scheduled for June 26 in the U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, Maryland, where the agreement will be subject to judicial approval.

根據協議條款，波頓先生將面臨 225 萬美元的罰金。量刑指南提供的範圍從緩刑到最高 60 個月監禁，但協議暗示有可能避免入獄。重新傳喚定於 6 月 26 日在馬里蘭州 Greenbelt 的美國地方法院進行，屆時協議將需經司法批准。

Conclusion

Mr. Bolton is expected to formally enter his guilty plea on June 26, resolving a case that highlighted the tension between personal memoir preparation and the handling of sensitive state secrets.

波頓先生預計將於 6 月 26 日正式認罪，解決這起凸顯了準備個人回憶錄與處理敏感國家機密之間緊張關係的案件。

Vocabulary Learning

The Architecture of Legal and Institutional Precision

To transition from B2 to C2, a student must move beyond 'meaning' and enter the realm of nuance and register. This text is a masterclass in nominalization and hedging, the two pillars of high-level formal English used to maintain an aura of objectivity and legal distance.

1. The Power of Nominalization

C2 prose often replaces active verbs with complex noun phrases to create a sense of stability and formality.

B2 approach: "The case started because someone hacked into Mr. Bolton's email in 2021."
C2 execution: "The case was further catalyzed by a 2021 discovery of a cyber-intrusion..."

Observe how "catalyzed" (a scientific metaphor) combined with "discovery of a cyber-intrusion" (a noun chain) transforms a simple event into a formal legal trigger. This "noun-heavy" style allows the writer to pack dense information into a single clause without sounding conversational.

2. Semantic Hedging: The "Allegedly" Spectrum

In professional legal reporting, stating a fact as absolute is a liability. C2 mastery requires the use of attributive markers to distance the writer from the claim.

*"...were allegedly transmitted..." *"...perceived political adversaries..." *"...suggests the possibility..."

Note the precision of "perceived." It doesn't say they were adversaries, but that they were seen as such by others. This shifts the focus from the identity of the people to the perspective of the accuser—a quintessential C2 distinction.

3. Lexical Sophistication: Collocations of the State

Pay close attention to the fixed pairings (collocations) that define this register. You cannot simply use "secrets"; you must use "sensitive state secrets." You don't just "start" a case; you "initiate an investigation."

Key C2 Clusters found here:

Provisional agreement $\rightarrow$ Not yet final, but agreed upon.
Judicial approval $\rightarrow$ The formal act of a judge signing off.
Career federal prosecutors $\rightarrow$ Distinguishing permanent staff from political appointees.

C2 Takeaway: Stop searching for 'bigger' words. Instead, search for precise words that define the relationship between the actor and the action. Move from describing what happened to describing the framework in which it happened.

Vocabulary Learning

provisional (adj.)

Temporary or interim; not intended to be permanent.

Example:The court accepted a provisional agreement pending further investigation.

indictment (n.)

A formal written accusation of a serious crime.

Example:The indictment outlined 18 counts of wrongdoing.

dissemination (n.)

The act of spreading or distributing information.

Example:The dissemination of classified data was prohibited by law.

unauthorized (adj.)

Not officially sanctioned or permitted.

Example:The emails were sent to two unauthorized relatives.

adversaries (n.)

Opponents or rivals, especially in a political or military context.

Example:The documents contained intelligence on foreign adversaries.

covert (adj.)

Secretly performed or concealed; not openly acknowledged.

Example:The covert operations were executed without public knowledge.

distinguished (adj.)

Recognized as noteworthy or superior.

Example:The investigation was distinguished by its early initiation.

initiation (n.)

The act of beginning or starting something.

Example:The initiation of the probe occurred before the inauguration.

catalyzed (v.)

To cause or accelerate a process or event.

Example:The cyber‑intrusion catalyzed a renewed federal inquiry.

cyber‑intrusion (n.)

Unauthorized entry into a computer system or network.

Example:The cyber‑intrusion compromised the personal email account.

sentencing (n.)

The process of determining a penalty or punishment for a crime.

Example:Sentencing guidelines allow a range from probation to incarceration.

incarceration (n.)

The state of being imprisoned.

Example:The maximum penalty included up to 60 months of incarceration.

re‑arraignment (n.)

A new arraignment following a previous one.

Example:A re‑arraignment is scheduled for June 26 in the District Court.

judicial (adj.)

Relating to a judge or the administration of justice.

Example:The agreement will be subject to judicial approval.

memoir (n.)

A written account of a person's experiences or memories.

Example:His memoir, *The Room Where It Happened*, was published in 2020.

sensitive (adj.)

Requiring careful handling because it may cause harm if disclosed.

Example:The handling of sensitive state secrets demands strict protocols.

state secrets (n.)

Highly confidential information pertaining to national security.

Example:Unauthorized disclosure of state secrets can lead to severe penalties.

Practice C2 words in a crossword→