John Bolton pleads not guilty to mishandling classified information

State of play: Prosecutors said Bolton shared diary-like entires with "top secret" and "secret/sensitive compartmented information" with two unauthorized individuals.

• If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison for each count.
• Bolton, who served as a UN ambassador under President George W. Bush, is Trump's third political enemy indicted in the last month, after former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

What they're saying: Following yesterday's indictment, Bolton released a statement comparing Trump's DOJ tactics to those used by Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin.

• ""Now, I have become the latest target in weaponizing the Justice Department to charge those he deems to be his enemies with charges that were declined before or distort the facts," Bolton said."
• Bolton's attorney Abbe Lowell said in a Thursday statement, "These charges stem from portions of Amb. Bolton's personal diaries over his 45-year career — records that are unclassified, shared only with his immediate family, and known to the FBI as far back as 2021."
• "We look forward to proving once again that Amb. Bolton did not unlawfully share or store any information."