Former FBI director and outspoken Donald Trump critic James Comey was indicted Thursday on two criminal counts as the US president intensified his campaign of retribution against perceived political foes.
The indictment came days after Trump publicly urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to take action against Comey and others — a sharp break from the longstanding principle of Justice Department independence.
Comey faces charges of making false statements and obstruction of justice related to his handling of the 2016 Russian election interference probe. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison, according to federal prosecutor Lindsey Halligan.
Halligan — a former personal lawyer to Trump with no prior prosecutorial experience — was appointed by the president to the high-profile role of US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia days ago.
Trump hailed the indictment, calling Comey “one of the worst human beings this country has ever been exposed to.”
Key Points:
- Comey denies wrongdoing, posting on Instagram: “I’m not afraid.”
- Trump fired Comey in 2017 during the Russia collusion investigation.
- Intelligence reports and bipartisan congressional committees have upheld findings that Russia meddled in the 2016 election.
- The five-year statute of limitations on Comey’s testimony at the heart of the case expires Tuesday, increasing pressure on Halligan.
- Erik Siebert, the previous US attorney, resigned last week after reportedly saying there was insufficient evidence to charge Comey or New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Since returning to power, Trump — the first convicted felon to serve as US president — has moved swiftly to attack the Russia investigation and other legal actions taken against him.
He has stripped former officials of security clearances, targeted law firms tied to past cases, and cut federal funding to universities.
Trump himself faced multiple probes after leaving office, including an FBI raid on his Mar-a-Lago home over classified documents and a special counsel case accusing him of trying to overturn the 2020 election. Both cases were dropped under Justice Department policy after his 2024 election victory.
Bondi said in a statement Thursday that “no one is above the law” and described the charges against Comey as involving “serious crimes.”
Would you like me to make a shorter, punchier headline for this one (like a newspaper front page)?
