Former FBI Director James Comey Indicted for Lying to Congress After Trump Urges Prosecution

Former FBI Director James Comey was charged Thursday with lying to Congress, marking the first prosecution of a senior official tied to the Russia investigation — a probe President Donald Trump has long derided as a “hoax” and a “witch hunt.”

The indictment comes just days after Trump publicly pressed Attorney General Pam Bondi to bring charges against Comey and other political adversaries. On Thursday, Trump hailed the development as “JUSTICE FOR AMERICA!”

The two-count indictment, filed in the Eastern District of Virginia, accuses Comey of making false statements and obstructing a congressional proceeding during 2020 testimony. Prosecutors moved quickly before the five-year statute of limitations expired this week.

Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel, both Trump allies, echoed the president’s remarks, with Bondi declaring: “No one is above the law.”

Critics warn the prosecution underscores growing concerns about the Justice Department being weaponized against Trump’s political foes. The case was advanced after turmoil inside the U.S. attorney’s office, where longtime prosecutors had resisted pressure to indict Comey.

Comey, fired by Trump in 2017, was a central figure in the FBI’s investigation into Russian election interference. While Special Counsel Robert Mueller found Moscow sought to aid Trump’s 2016 campaign, the probe did not establish criminal collusion. Still, Trump has repeatedly attacked Comey personally, accusing him of disloyalty and labeling him a “leaker.”

Comey’s attorney had no immediate comment on the charges.