Trump says he'll plead not guilty after federal indictment

In the wake of the indictment, two of former President Donald Trump's lawyers have submitted their resignations.

Jim Trusty and John Rowley said they were stepping down in a joint statement.

"This morning we tendered our resignations as counsel to President Trump, and we will no longer represent him on either the indicted case or the January 6 investigation," they wrote.

Trump, meanwhile, claimed Friday that he had removed two of his attorneys representing him in the documents probe and "will be announcing additional lawyers in the coming days."

"I want to thank Jim Trusty and John Rowley for their work," Trump said on Truth Social, "but they were up against a very dishonest, corrupt, evil, and 'sick' group of people, the likes of which has not been seen before."

Trump said he will be represented in the case by Todd Blanche, who attended Manhattan criminal court with the former president in April, and "a firm to be named later."

-ABC News' Olivia Rubin

Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said in a statement Friday that Donald Trump "brought these charges upon himself by not only taking classified documents, but by refusing to simply return them when given numerous opportunities to do so."

"These allegations are serious and if proven, would be consistent with his other actions offensive to the national interest, such as withholding defensive weapons from Ukraine for political reasons and failing to defend the Capitol from violent attack and insurrection," Romney said.

The senator added that he thinks it appears "the Justice Department and special counsel have exercised due care" and offered Trump "time and opportunity to avoid charges that would not generally have been afforded to others."

Former Vice President Mike Pence, Donald Trump's former running mate turned 2024 presidential campaign rival, said on "The Hugh Hewitt Show" Friday that he was unhappy about the indictment, but added that "no one is above the law."

"I'm deeply troubled to see this indictment move forward," Pence said.

"But let me be very clear: No one is above the law," he added.

"We have to protect our nation's secrets. And my only hope is, as we learn about the facts of this indictment next week, that the American people will see in this case that it would meet a high standard necessary to justify the unprecedented federal indictment of a former president of the United States by, by the current president of the United States' Justice Department and by a potential rival," Pence said.

Pence also called for the indictment to be unsealed and for Attorney General Merrick Garland to address the nation.

"I think before the sun sets today, the attorney general of the United States should be standing in front of the American people, should unseal this indictment, should provide the American people with all the facts and information here. And the American people be able to judge for themselves whether this is just the latest incident of weaponization and politicization at the Justice Department or it's something different," he said.

When asked if FBI Director Christopher Wray "needs to go," Pence did not respond directly but said he would "clean house" if elected president.

"Whether it's the Justice Department or whether it's the FBI, I think -- I just think we need a whole new team. I think there's been a, you know, literally a collapse of confidence," Pence said.

-ABC News' Libby Cathey and Oren Oppenheim

The summons sent to former President Donald Trump his legal team late Thursday indicates that U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon will be assigned to oversee his case, at least initially, according to sources briefed on the matter.

Cannon's apparent assignment would add yet another unprecedented wrinkle to a case involving the first federal charges against a former president: Trump appointed Cannon to the federal bench in 2019, meaning that, if Trump is ultimately convicted, she would be responsible for determining the sentence -- which may include prison time -- for the man who elevated her to the role.

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