Ex-FBI chief Comey faces third Trump-era criminal case over alleged national defence leak

Former FBI director James Comey faces charges of allegedly disclosing national defence information, marking the third criminal case against the outspoken Trump critic. — AFP pic

First Published: Tuesday, 27 Oct 2026 4:53 PM MYT

WASHINGTON, Oct 27 — Former FBI director James Comey has been charged with allegedly disclosing national defence information, the third criminal case brought against the outspoken critic of US President Donald Trump.

In a criminal complaint unsealed on Monday, Comey is accused of communicating the information in October 2016, when he was head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, to a “person not entitled to receive it.”

Comey was charged in September 2025 with making false statements to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding in what was widely seen as retribution by the Republican president against a political opponent.

A federal judge threw out the case on the grounds that the US attorney handpicked by Trump who brought the charges had been unlawfully appointed.

Comey was indicted again in April, this time for allegedly threatening Trump’s life in an Instagram post that showed the numbers “86 47” spelled out in sea shells.

The Trump administration’s Justice Department has claimed that “86 47” constitutes a threat to the president — “86” meaning to kill and “47” a reference to Trump being the 47th president.

Comey has denied threatening the president’s life.

‘I’m still innocent’ 

In the latest case, Comey is accused of directing an unidentified individual to “disclose national defense information to a reporter for a national news publication.”

“They’re back again,” Comey said in a video posted on his Substack in response to the latest charges.

“It would almost be funny if it weren’t such an appalling abuse of the Department of Justice,” he said. “I’m still innocent. I’m still not afraid of these people, and I still believe in the independent federal judiciary.”

In a statement to US media, Comey’s attorney, Patrick Fitzgerald, said the charges in the latest case had been investigated by prosecutors during the first Trump administration and “the Government determined that no charges should be brought against anyone.”

“Mr Comey steadfastly maintains his innocence,” Fitzgerald said.

The unsealing of the court documents came just hours after a US federal judge ruled that the July 2025 firing of Comey’s daughter, Maurene Comey, a former federal prosecutor in New York, was unlawful.

Maurene Comey filed suit against the Department of Justice claiming she had been dismissed “solely or substantially” because of her father’s criticism of Trump or “because of her perceived political affiliation and beliefs.”

In ruling against the Department of Justice, District Judge Jesse Furman said the younger Comey had been deprived of her due process rights and ordered that she be reinstated.

Since taking office, Trump has taken a number of punitive measures against his perceived enemies, purging government officials deemed to be disloyal, targeting law firms involved in past cases against him and pulling federal funding from universities. — AFP