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By Hannah Parry and Peter Aitken
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President Donald Trump celebrated the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey on Thursday.
In a post to Truth Social, Trump called his former FBI chief "one of the worst human beings this country has ever been exposed to," adding that the charges were the beginning of Comey being "held responsible for his crimes against our Nation."
Why It Matters
Comey is the first senior government official to face federal charges connected to the 2016 investigation of alleged Russian interference in the presidential election, which Trump has repeatedly denounced as a “hoax” and a “witch hunt." Multiple government reviews found evidence that Moscow sought to help his campaign against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
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The Thursday indictment charges Comey with making a false statement and obstruction. U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff, appointee of former President Joe Biden, will oversee Comey's arraignment, scheduled for October 9.
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What To Know
Trump in his post Thursday evening declared that there was "JUSTICE IN AMERICA!"
"One of the worst human beings this Country has ever been exposed to is James Comey, the former Corrupt Head of the FBI," Trump wrote.
'Today he was indicted by a Grand Jury on two felony counts for various illegal and unlawful acts. He has been so bad for our Country, for so long, and is now at the beginning of being held responsible for his crimes against our Nation. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"
The charges also follow the ousting of U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Erik Siebert, who had raised concerns that investigators had found insufficient evidence to charge Comey, or New York Attorney General Letitia James, ABC News reported. The Eastern District of Virginia was the same department that ultimately brought the charges against Comey.
Comey was fired by Trump in 2017 and has remained a top target for the president and his supporters. Trump last week urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to "act fast" to prosecute Comey and other political enemies, saying that "JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED NOW!!!"
Trump in his earlier post complained about posts and statements he had read that criticized his administration of "all talk, no action" and that "nothing is going to be done" despite the likes of Comey being "guilty as hell."
In a video post to Instagram, Comey denied the charges leveled against him, NBC News reported: "My family and I have known for years that there are costs to standing up to Donald Trump, but we couldn't imagine ourselves living any other way. We will not live on our knees, and you shouldn't either. My heart is broken for the Department of Justice, but I have great confidence in the federal judicial system. I'm innocent, so let's have a trial and keep the faith."
What People Are Saying
Democratic influencer Harry Sisson wrote on X: "So MAGA let me get this straight: Trump gets indicted and convicted and those cases are “rigged.” James Comey gets indicted after Trump ordered it on Truth Social and now it’s a perfectly fair case? You guys don’t believe in anything. Hypocrites. Liars. Frauds."
Roger Stone, former adviser and longtime ally of Trump, wrote on X: "I was indicted for lying under oath to Congress despite the fact that no misstatement I made was material nor hid any underlying crime. James Comey lied to cover up the greatest dirty trick in American history — the Russian Collusion Hoax. This is ironic justice."
Former Representative Val Demings of Florida, a Democrat, wrote on X: "Former FBI Director Jim Comey indicted, even after career prosecutors thought there wasn’t enough evidence to move forward. A president ordering prosecution of whomever he perceives as his political enemies is a dark turning point in America. Pray for your children."
Bondi wrote on X: "No one is above the law. Today’s indictment reflects this Department of Justice’s commitment to holding those who abuse positions of power accountable for misleading the American people. We will follow the facts in this case."
What Happens Next
The indictment adds a dramatic twist to Trump’s long-running campaign to revisit grievances from his first term and pursue cases against figures tied to the Russia investigation. It also raises new questions about whether the Justice Department can operate independently under Trump’s leadership.
Update 9/25/25, 9:24 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
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