Ex-FBI Director Comey Charged with Leaking Classified Information; Third Prosecution Attempt
Federal prosecutors have filed charges against James Comey for allegedly disclosing national defense information to the New York Times in October 2016, marking the third criminal case brought against him since Trump's return to office.
What happened
Federal prosecutors charged ex-FBI Director James Comey with two counts related to leaking classified information, according to a court filing. Comey's legal team states the alleged disclosure occurred in October 2016 when he was FBI director and involved information provided to the New York Times. The charges were filed via criminal information rather than grand jury indictment. Comey denied wrongdoing in a Substack video, calling the charges an "appalling abuse" of the Department of Justice. His attorney, Patrick Fitzgerald, stated that two separate teams of prosecutors investigated the same alleged disclosure a decade ago and both determined no charges should be brought.
Context
This represents the third criminal prosecution attempt against Comey since Trump took office in 2025. The prior two cases included an indictment in September 2025 on perjury and obstruction charges (dismissed in November) and charges filed in April 2026 alleging a social media post posed a threat to Trump's life (ongoing). Trump publicly called for Comey's prosecution after firing him during his first term over the FBI's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. The timing coincides with a federal judge ruling Monday that the Trump administration illegally fired Comey's daughter, a federal prosecutor, and must reinstate her with back pay.
What's disputed
Whether the charges exceed the 10-year statute of limitations, which could render them invalid; whether Comey's alleged conduct constitutes criminal conduct at all; whether the prosecution is politically motivated rather than based on prosecutable evidence.