JUST IN: John Bolton Enters Plea in Classified Documents Case

(Rod Lamkey Jr./AP photo)

John Bolton, former national security adviser and vocal critic of President Donald Trump, has pleaded not guilty in the classified documents case as he appeared in court for the first time on Friday.

Bolton surrendered to authorities earlier Friday to face Espionage Act charges over his alleged mishandling of classified information.

The 26-page, 18-count indictment, filed in federal court in Maryland on Thursday, accuses Bolton of transmitting and retaining highly sensitive material, including diary entries he shared with two unnamed individuals while he served in the White House.

Prosecutors say the notes “described in detail Bolton’s daily activities as the National Security Advisor,” including classified settings and briefings.

In a statement on Thursday, Bolton denied any wrongdoing, vowing to “defend my lawful conduct and to expose [Trump’s] abuse of power.”

Bolton, 76, who served as UN ambassador under former President George W. Bush before becoming Trump’s national security adviser, emerged as a frequent critic of the president on TV after resigning from the post in 2019.

Moments after the indictment came down, Trump told reporters: “He’s a bad person. I think he’s a bad guy, yeah. He’s a bad guy. Too bad. But that’s the way it goes. That’s the way it goes, right? That’s the way it goes.”