James Comey is an American attorney and former law enforcement official known for serving as the seventh Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from 2013 to 2017. He gained public attention for his controversial handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation during the 2016 presidential election and his subsequent high-profile firing by President Donald Trump, which led to the appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
Quick Facts
Full Name: James Brien Comey Jr.
Age: 65 (born December 14, 1960)
Nationality: American
Occupation: Former FBI Director, Attorney
Known For: FBI Director (2013–2017); Fired by President Trump; Indicted twice by the Trump administration
Marital Status: Married to Patrice Failor (since 1987)
Children: Six (one son died in infancy)
Early Life and Background
Comey was born in Yonsters, New York, and grew up in Allendale, New Jersey, in an Irish American family. At age 16, he and his brother were held hostage at gunpoint in their home by a man dubbed “the Ramsey Rapist,” an experience that reportedly shaped his views on law enforcement. He earned a B.S. in chemistry and religion from the College of William & Mary in 1982 and a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School in 1985.
Career and Achievements
Comey began his legal career as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York under Rudy Giuliani, where he prosecuted white-collar crimes including the insider trading case against Martha Stewart. He served as U.S. attorney for the same district from 2002 to 2003 before becoming Deputy Attorney General in 2003.
In 2004, as acting attorney general while John Ashcroft was hospitalized, Comey famously refused to reauthorize President George W. Bush’s warrantless domestic eavesdropping program, threatening to resign and earning praise from civil libertarians.
President Barack Obama appointed Comey as FBI Director in 2013 . His tenure became defined by investigations into Hillary Clinton’s private email server. In July 2016, he held a press conference criticizing Clinton’s judgment but announcing no charges would be filed. Then, just 11 days before the 2016 election, he sent a letter to Congress reopening the investigation, a move many believe hurt Clinton’s campaign.
Major Event or Controversy
Comey’s firing by President Trump on May 9, 2017, became a defining moment of Trump’s first term. Trump initially cited Comey’s handling of the Clinton investigation but later admitted the FBI’s Russia investigation was also a factor. Comey is only the second FBI director in history to be fired.
Trump has pursued legal action against Comey since returning to office. Comey was indicted in September 2025 on charges of making false statements to Congress. A federal judge dismissed that case in November 2025, ruling the prosecutor Trump appointed was unlawfully selected.
Why He Is In the News
Comey is in the news after being indicted for a second time by the Trump administration on April 27, 2026. This indictment stems from a May 2025 Instagram post showing seashells forming the numbers “8647” which Trump allies interpreted as a threat against the 47th president (since “86” is slang for “get rid of”). Comey has insisted he did not know the numbers’ meaning and deleted the post, stating he opposes violence.
Conclusion
James Comey is a polarizing figure whose career has spanned from respected federal prosecutor to the center of America’s most intense political firestorms. Now facing his second indictment under the Trump administration, he remains a central character in the ongoing saga between Donald Trump and the federal law enforcement establishment he once led.
