Comey was charged a third time over alleged disclosure of national defense information in 2016. He denies wrongdoing.
Former FBI Director James Comey has been charged for the third time by the Trump administration, this time over the alleged disclosure of national defense information when he led the FBI in 2016, according to court records made public Monday.
Prosecutors allege Comey directed the disclosure of national defense information to a reporter in October 2016 through one or more co-conspirators, Axios reported. He is charged with transmission of national defense information and conspiracy to transmit it. The charges were filed Oct. 5 in federal court in Washington, 10 years after the alleged transmission. The Justice Department filed what is known as a waiverless criminal information to toll the statute of limitations, CNN reported. A judge granted Comey’s request to unseal the case Monday.
Comey said in a video statement that he is innocent. He is also facing charges in North Carolina over a now-deleted Instagram post of seashells arranged to read “86 47,” which the Justice Department says was a threat to President Donald Trump. He has denied wrongdoing in that case and is seeking to have it dismissed. His first indictment, in September 2025, charged him with making a false statement and obstruction. A judge dismissed it after finding the prosecutor who brought it was unlawfully appointed. Comey’s attorneys filed a motion 10 days ago to dismiss the charges against him, NBC News reported. NBC noted he has not been indicted by a grand jury in the new case.
Comey became a target of Trump after he started the FBI investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, and Trump fired him in 2017.
Information for this report was provided by CNN, Axios, NBC News, CNBC, The Hill and Forbes.