James Comey faces third criminal case under Trump administration

Former FBI director James Comey has been charged in a new case alleging the disclosure of national defence information, marking the third criminal case brought against him under the Trump administration. A criminal complaint unsealed on Tuesday accuses him of communicating information in October 2016, when he was leading the Federal Bureau of Investigation, to a person not entitled to receive it. The case adds a fresh legal and political flashpoint involving one of President Donald Trump's most prominent critics.

According to the complaint, Mr Comey is accused of directing an unidentified individual to disclose national defence information to a reporter for a national news publication. The filing says the alleged conduct took place while he was FBI director, before he was dismissed from the post in 2017. In response to the latest charges, Mr Comey said in a video posted on his Substack that he remained innocent and was not afraid of the people pursuing him.

The latest case follows two earlier prosecutions that were both tied to Mr Trump's long-running conflict with the former FBI chief. In September 2025, Mr Comey was charged with making false statements to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding. That case was later thrown out by a federal judge, who ruled that the US attorney appointed by Mr Trump to bring the charges had been unlawfully appointed.

In April, Mr Comey was indicted again over an Instagram post that showed the numbers "86 47" spelled out in seashells, which the Justice Department said amounted to a threat against the president. Mr Comey has denied threatening Mr Trump's life and has rejected the latest allegations as well. His lawyer, Patrick Fitzgerald, said prosecutors had already investigated the matter during the first Trump administration and had determined that no charges should be brought against anyone.

He said Mr Comey steadfastly maintains his innocence. The Justice Department has not publicly detailed any new evidence in the latest complaint beyond the allegation that Mr Comey passed information to an unauthorised recipient. The case matters because it sits at the intersection of criminal law, executive power and the independence of federal prosecutors.

Mr Comey was a central figure in US politics during and after the 2016 election, and his relationship with Mr Trump has been openly hostile for years. The repeated use of criminal proceedings against him has intensified concerns among critics that the justice system is being used in a political dispute, while supporters of the administration argue the cases reflect legitimate law enforcement action. The unsealing of the new court documents came just hours after a federal judge ruled that the July 2025 firing of Mr Comey's daughter, Maurene Comey, was unlawful.

She had sued the Justice Department, saying she was dismissed solely or substantially because of her father's criticism of Mr Trump or because of her family connection. It is not clear from the latest filing what sentence, if any, prosecutors will seek, or how the defence will challenge the complaint. The next procedural steps in the case have not yet been publicly set out.

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