Former FBI Director James Comey faces federal charges for allegedly disclosing classified information to the New York Times in October 2016 while serving as the bureau’s director. The charges were filed as a criminal information document rather than through a grand jury indictment. Comey’s legal team stated the matter stemmed from alleged communications with the newspaper over a decade ago.
Comey has denied all allegations of wrongdoing, releasing a video statement in which he characterized the prosecution as an “appalling abuse” of the Justice Department. His attorney, Patrick Fitzgerald, noted that two separate teams of prosecutors previously investigated the same alleged disclosure and determined that charges were not warranted. The legal team has filed a motion to dismiss, arguing the case may fall outside the statute of limitations for such offenses.
This represents the third criminal case brought against Comey since Trump returned to office. In September 2025, Comey was indicted on charges of lying to Congress and obstruction; that case was dismissed in November. Earlier in 2026, he faced charges related to a social media post featuring seashells arranged in a numerical pattern, which prosecutors alleged encouraged violence against the president. Comey maintains he had no knowledge of the numerical meaning and characterizes the prosecution as politically motivated.
Former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirschner suggested the statute of limitations defense could succeed. Legal observers have characterized the pattern of charges as potentially retaliatory, noting Trump’s longstanding criticism of Comey following his firing during the first Trump administration.
The charges became public the same day a federal judge ruled that the Trump administration had unlawfully terminated Comey’s daughter, Maurene Comey, a federal prosecutor in New York who was fired in July 2025. The court ordered her reinstatement with back pay.
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