Hunter Biden’s plea deal involving tax and gun charges was put on hold Wednesday in a sudden twist that saw the judge presiding over the case questioning the parameters of the agreement reached with the Justice Department.

Biden, 53, made his initial federal court appearance in Wilmington, Del., where he was expected to plead guilty to two misdemeanor counts of willful failure to pay income taxes as part of a deal announced last month with the DOJ.

But multiple outlets reported the deal is now on hold after U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika, a Trump appointee who is overseeing the case, raised concerns about the scope of Biden’s immunity from any potential future charges. 

That led to Biden pleading not guilty to two tax crimes Wednesday, according to the Associated Press. AP reported that Noreika gave the parties 30 days to explain why the deal, which she has to approve, should be accepted.

Noreika had raised issues about a related deal in which Biden would agree to enter a pretrial diversion program in connection with a gun charge, according to AP.

The charge of possessing a gun while being an unlawful user of a controlled substance would normally carry a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, but the program would enable Biden to avoid prosecution or pleading guilty if he follows certain conditions.

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