Former FBI Director James Comey appeared in federal court on Wednesday to face felony charges—an event many see as part of President Donald Trump’s growing legal offensive against his political rivals.
Comey, 64, who has long been an outspoken critic of Trump, was indicted last month by a grand jury in Virginia on allegations of making false statements to Congress and obstructing a congressional inquiry.
His arraignment took place at the federal courthouse in Alexandria before Judge Michael Nachmanoff, where he was expected to enter a not-guilty plea. A handful of protesters stood outside, one holding a sign that read, “Show Trial.”
The charges are linked to Comey’s sworn testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2020. Prosecutors claim he falsely denied authorizing an FBI employee to serve as an anonymous source for the media. If convicted, he could face up to five years in prison.
Comey, who was appointed FBI Director by former President Barack Obama in 2013, was dismissed by Trump in 2017 during the investigation into possible Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election.
The indictment comes shortly after Trump publicly called on Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue action against Comey and other perceived adversaries—a move that critics say undermines the traditional independence of the Justice Department.
Trump, 79, who recently became the first sitting U.S. president with a felony conviction, celebrated the indictment, calling Comey “one of the worst human beings this country has ever seen.”
“Standing Up Comes with a Cost”
Since returning to office in January, Trump has taken a hard line against perceived enemies—removing government officials accused of disloyalty, pressuring law firms tied to past cases against him, and cutting federal support to certain universities.
Comey’s indictment followed the resignation of Erik Siebert, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, who reportedly told Justice Department leaders there wasn’t enough evidence to prosecute. Trump later replaced him with Lindsey Halligan, one of his former attorneys, who presented the case to a grand jury and obtained the indictment.
Comey, maintaining his innocence, said, “My family and I have long known the cost of standing up to Donald Trump.” His daughter, Maurene, was dismissed from her role as a Manhattan prosecutor in July and has since filed a lawsuit against the Justice Department over her firing.
Trump himself has faced multiple investigations since leaving the White House in 2021. The FBI raided his Mar-a-Lago residence in 2022 over allegations of mishandling classified documents, and Special Counsel Jack Smith charged him with attempting to overturn the 2020 election results.
Both cases were dropped after Trump’s 2024 election victory, in keeping with the Justice Department’s policy of not prosecuting a sitting president.
