John Bolton pleads not guilty in federal court

Former national security adviser John Bolton pleaded not guilty Friday to his 18 criminal charges that accuse him of mishandling classified materials.

“Not guilty, your Honor,” Bolton said during a federal court appearance in Greenbelt, Md.

A federal grand jury a day earlier returned an indictment charging him with transmitting and retaining national defense information, over allegations he sent “diary-like entries” to two relatives about his day-to-day work as President Trump’s adviser and kept classified records at his home in a Maryland suburb after leaving the position. 

Bolton is the third of Trump’s proclaimed foes to face federal charges from his Justice Department. The former Trump adviser called himself the “latest target” of the president’s retribution campaign Thursday after he was indicted.  

Before entering his plea, Bolton arrived at the federal courthouse to surrender, a process which seemed to take about two hours. 

He entered the courtroom where he was arraigned shortly after 11 a.m. EDT, looking straight ahead with a furrowed brow and swinging his arms as he walked to the defense table. When Bolton sat down, his attorney, Abbe Lowell, put his arm around him, and they talked for several minutes before the judge entered.  

“Sir, are you Robert Bolton?” Chief Magistrate Judge Timothy Sullivan asked Bolton after taking the bench. 

“John Robert Bolton,” he replied. 

Bolton said he had reviewed his indictment with his attorneys and understood the charges against him. He agreed to surrender his passport to counsel and was ordered released after any additional processing.  

His next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 21 before U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang, an appointee of former President Obama randomly assigned to oversee his case. 

Updated at 11:55 a.m. EDT