Former FBI director James Comey, long one of Donald Trump’s most prominent adversaries, has been indicted on two felony charges in a move that critics say underscores the former president’s determination to weaponize the American justice system.
The indictment, handed down by a federal grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia, marks the culmination of years of Trump’s insistence that Comey face criminal prosecution.
The charges accuse Comey of making false statements to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding. The case stems from his September 2020 testimony about the FBI’s handling of the Russia investigation, testimony prosecutors allege contained misleading and false statements.
According to the two-page indictment, Comey falsely denied authorizing leaks to the media about the Trump and Hillary Clinton investigations. While sparse in detail, the filing claims his sworn testimony misrepresented facts and impeded congressional oversight.
US attorney general Pam Bondi, a loyal Trump ally, framed the charges as a matter of principle. “No one is above the law. Today’s indictment reflects this Department of Justice’s commitment to holding those who abuse positions of power accountable for misleading the American people,” Bondi said in a statement.
The indictment follows a directive Trump issued publicly, urging Bondi to “move now” on Comey. In a highly unusual social media post, Trump demanded charges and brushed aside the traditional independence of the Department of Justice.
Only days before the indictment, Trump had installed Lindsey Halligan, a former White House aide and longtime loyalist, as the top federal prosecutor in the eastern district of Virginia. Halligan, who has no prosecutorial experience, replaced Erik Siebert after he reportedly declined to pursue charges against Comey, citing weak evidence.
Despite being presented with a memo advising against prosecution, Halligan proceeded. Critics point to this as further evidence that the case is politically motivated.
Comey, in a defiant Instagram video, rejected the allegations. “My family and I have known for years that there are costs to standing up to Donald Trump, but we couldn’t imagine ourselves living any other way. We will not live on our knees, and you shouldn’t either,” he said.
He drew inspiration from his daughter, Maurene Comey, a former federal prosecutor who recently lost her job under contentious circumstances. “Somebody that I love dearly recently said that fear is the tool of a tyrant. And she’s right. But I’m not afraid. And I hope you’re not either,” Comey declared.
“I hope instead you are engaged. You are paying attention, and you will vote like your beloved country depends upon it. My heart is broken for the Department of Justice, but I have great confidence in the federal judicial system and I’m innocent. So let’s have a trial. And keep the faith,” he concluded.
Prosecutors had sought an additional charge, but grand jurors rejected it.
Trump, however, hailed the indictment as a long-awaited victory. On Truth Social, he wrote: “JUSTICE IN AMERICA! One of the worst human beings this Country has ever been exposed to is James Comey, the former Corrupt Head of the FBI. Today he was indicted by a Grand Jury on two felony counts for various illegal and unlawful acts. He has been so bad for our Country, for so long, and is now at the beginning of being held responsible for his crimes against our Nation. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Comey is expected to surrender and appear in federal court on Friday. He will be represented by Patrick Fitzgerald, a former US attorney with extensive trial experience. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison. Legal experts, however, suggest the case may be difficult to prove.
Barbara McQuade, a former US attorney for Michigan, criticized the decision to indict. “This is a sad day for the rule of law. Trump’s comments, along with the musical chairs at the US attorney’s office, makes a mockery of prosecutorial discretion. The president has teed this case up for a dismissal on the grounds of selective prosecution,” McQuade said.
In an immediate show of protest, Comey’s son-in-law, Troy Edwards, resigned from his position as a federal prosecutor in Virginia. In his resignation letter, Edwards explained he was quitting “to uphold my oath to the Constitution and the country.”
Virginia senator Mark Warner, a Democrat, echoed those concerns. “Donald Trump has made clear that he intends to turn our justice system into a weapon for punishing and silencing his critics. This kind of interference is a dangerous abuse of power. Our system depends on prosecutors making decisions based on evidence and the law, not on the personal grudges of a politician determined to settle scores,” Warner said.
The indictment also comes amid broader clashes between Trump and his opponents. On Saturday, he accused Comey, New York attorney general Letitia James, and Democratic senator Adam Schiff of being “guilty as hell.” He warned his supporters that “nothing has been done” and added: “We can’t delay any longer, it’s killing our reputation and credibility. They impeached me twice, and indicted me (5 times!), OVER NOTHING. JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!”
The antagonism between Trump and Comey stretches back to early 2017, when the FBI director refused Trump’s request for a personal loyalty pledge. At the time, Comey was leading the bureau’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. His refusal and subsequent testimony before Congress set him on a collision course with the president, who fired him in May 2017.
For Trump’s supporters, the indictment validates years of grievances against the FBI and its leadership. For his critics, it is the clearest sign yet of a president using prosecutorial power to pursue personal vendettas.
Maurene Comey, in her wrongful termination lawsuit filed earlier this month, directly accused the administration of targeting her because of her father. The suit, filed after her dismissal from the US attorney’s office in New York, claims her firing was rooted in “Trump’s hatred” of James Comey.
Meanwhile, the fallout continues to ripple through Washington. Representative Ilhan Omar accused Trump of fabricating a story in which he allegedly asked Somalia’s president to “take her back.” Omar denounced the comment as another example of Trump’s racist rhetoric and abuse of power.
In another move underscoring his approach, Trump signed a presidential memorandum directing the Justice Department and FBI’s joint terrorism task force to investigate what he described as an organized campaign of political violence “funded by Democrats.”
The intensifying political climate comes as Congress faces a high-stakes battle over government funding. House Democrats, who rejected a Republican proposal last week, believe they hold the advantage as they push for their demands on healthcare and other policy issues.
The case against Comey now moves to the courts, where prosecutors will need to prove that his testimony amounted to deliberate deception rather than misstatements. With legal experts divided, the trial promises to become not just a legal test but a political flashpoint in Trump’s second presidency.
The echoes of 2016 are unmistakable. In a debate against Hillary Clinton, Trump famously declared, “It’s just awfully good that someone with the temperament of Donald Trump is not in charge of the law in our country.” Clinton replied, “Because you’d be in jail.”
Now, nearly a decade later, the question of who controls the levers of justice — and for what purpose — is once again at the center of American politics.
