WASHINGTON (BN24) — Former FBI Director James Comey was indicted Thursday on two federal counts, marking the most dramatic step yet in President Donald Trump’s effort to wield the Justice Department against his longtime political adversaries.
A U.S. official confirmed to CBS News that Comey faces one count of making false statements and one count of obstruction of justice. The indictment was handed down in the Eastern District of Virginia just days before the statute of limitations on the case was set to expire.
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the charges in a post on X, writing: “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. We will follow the facts in this case.”
FBI Director Kash Patel echoed the sentiment, accusing past Bureau leaders of corrupting federal law enforcement. “For far too long, previous corrupt leadership and their enablers weaponized federal law enforcement, damaging once proud institutions and severely eroding public trust,” Patel wrote on X.
The indictment stems from Comey’s 2020 testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee regarding the FBI’s 2016 “Crossfire Hurricane” investigation into Russian interference in the presidential election. During questioning by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Comey insisted he stood by his earlier 2017 testimony that he never authorized anyone to serve as an anonymous source for press reports about investigations involving Trump or Hillary Clinton.
But the Justice Department’s inspector general later concluded that then–Deputy Director Andrew McCabe authorized disclosures to The Wall Street Journal with Comey’s knowledge, raising doubts about Comey’s sworn statements.
The charges arrive as Trump intensifies pressure on federal prosecutors to pursue his critics. Last week, Trump named his former defense lawyer and White House aide, Lindsey Halligan, as interim U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia. Halligan, who has no prosecutorial experience, replaced Erik Siebert after his sudden resignation amid concerns from prosecutors that the president was demanding politically motivated cases.
Trump has long pushed for prosecutions of Comey, New York Attorney General Letitia James, and Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., among others. On social media, he complained the lack of charges was “killing our reputation and credibility,” while pointing to his own impeachments and multiple indictments. “JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!” he wrote on Truth Social.
Comey and Trump’s feud dates back to 2017, when Trump fired him as FBI director, a decision that led to Robert Mueller’s special counsel probe into Russian election interference. Since then, Comey has been a vocal critic of Trump, once calling him “morally unfit” for the presidency.
Earlier this year, Comey came under scrutiny from the Trump administration after posting an image on social media that officials claimed was a call for violence against the president. Secret Service agents interviewed him for over an hour, though Comey denied any wrongdoing. Trump later told Fox News that he believed Comey’s post was “loud and clear” in calling for his assassination.
The indictment of the former FBI chief underscores how Trump has leveraged his second term to target opponents, stripping security clearances from high-profile Democrats including Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and Hillary Clinton, as well as ending Secret Service protection for figures such as Harris, John Bolton, and Biden’s children, Hunter and Ashley.
Comey is expected to appear in court in the coming days as the Justice Department pursues a case that could deepen already bitter political divisions over the administration’s use of federal power.
