‘I’m Not Afraid’: Ex-FBI Director James Comey Indicted Amid Trump Feud
James Comey, the former FBI chief and a vocal critic of Donald Trump, has been criminated on two felonious charges, marking a dramatic escalation in the ongoing feud between the ex-president and his political adversaries.
The advertisement comes just days after Trump intimately prompted Attorney General Pam Bondi to target Comey, along with others he considers adversaries, a move that breaks with the long-standing principle that the Justice Department should remain independent from White House influence.
Comey faces allegations of making false statements and gumming justice related to his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible conspiracy with the Trump crusade.
Trump reacted with gusto. “One of the worst human beings this Country has ever been exposed to,” he said of Comey, welcoming the indictment.
This latest action represents the most striking example yet of Trump’s second-term campaign against those he views as foes.
Federal prosecutors warn that Comey could face up to five years in prison if convicted. Lindsey Halligan, a former personal lawyer to Trump with no prior prosecutorial experience, is leading the case.
MAJOR BREAKING: A courageous James Comey delivers a powerful statement after being indicted:
“We’ve known for years that there are costs to standing up to Donald Trump…We will not live on our knees…Fear is the tool of a tyrant. I’m not afraid…I’m innocent.”
AMEN! pic.twitter.com/jEpytoX83G
— CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) September 26, 2025
Pam Bondi, the Attorney General, emphasised the rule of law in a statement, saying: “No one is above the law.” She announced the charges for what she called “serious crimes.”
Trump insists he has no direct role in the indictment, despite previously suggesting that Halligan’s appointment was intended to pursue Comey and other critics.
Comey, undeterred, released a defiant video on Instagram. “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.”
He continued: “But I’m not afraid, and I hope you’re not either. I hope instead you are engaged, you are paying attention and you will vote like your beloved country depends upon it, which it does.”
Comey also expressed heartbreak over the state of the US Justice Department but reaffirmed his faith in the judiciary. “I have great confidence in the federal judicial system, and I’m innocent. So let’s have a trial, and keep the faith.”
Russian Interference and Political Fallout
Trump dismissed Comey in 2017 during the investigation into an implicit conspiracy between his crusade and Russia. Since also, Comey has also been a patient critic of what he describes as Trump’s attempts to politicise the justice system.
The Russian interference probe, a major controversy throughout Trump’s first term, has been repeatedly labelled a “Russia hoax” by the former president, despite bipartisan intelligence reports confirming foreign meddling in the 2016 election.
Halligan’s appointment as US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia follows the resignation of Erik Siebert, who reportedly stepped down after expressing doubts about sufficient evidence to charge Comey or New York Attorney General Letitia James.
James is pursuing a civil case against Trump over alleged business fraud.
Trump’s Campaign Against Political Opponents
Since leaving office, Trump, the first convicted felon to serve as US president, has actively targeted perceived rivals. Measures have included revoking security clearances, penalising law firms, and withdrawing federal funding from universities.
Examinations into Trump’s conduct post-presidency include the FBI’s 2022 raid of Mar-a-Lago and charges brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith concerning attempts to capsize the 2020 election results.
Both cases were dropped after Trump’s reelection in 2024. Comey’s charge now thrusts the former FBI director into the centre of Trump’s ongoing legal and political battles, setting the stage for a courtroom showdown that could reshape the boundaries of political responsibility in the US.
