In a Maryland courtroom on Friday, John Bolton, who once held a prominent advisory role under President Trump, entered a plea of not guilty to charges concerning the mishandling of classified information.

The indictment against Bolton, announced earlier this week, accuses him of retaining top secret documents at his residence and transmitting classified information via email to his family. These alleged actions occurred after his departure from the White House during Trump’s initial term in office.

Despite the serious nature of the allegations, Bolton opted not to engage with the media following his court appearance. However, he has previously suggested that the charges are part of a broader strategy by the former president intended to “intimidate his opponents.”

Bolton’s tenure as national security adviser was cut short in 2019 when he was dismissed by President Trump. Subsequently, he authored a memoir that painted a critical portrait of the president.

On Thursday, President Trump publicly addressed the indictment, adding yet another layer to the ongoing political drama.

“I think he’s, you know, 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,” the president said. 

Bolton’s case comes as the Justice Department pursues cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. 

But this case is different from those against Comey and James. The inquiry into Bolton started under President Joe Biden. 

The case garnered attention in August when FBI agents searched Bolton’s home. He’s specifically accused of sharing more than a thousand pages of notes with sensitive information with his wife and daughter. 

The indictment suggests some of that material was exposed when operatives believed to be linked to Iran’s government hacked Bolton’s email.