Former FBI Director James Comey has been indicted for a second time by the Justice Department under President Donald Trump, according to an official cited by Deutsche Welle.
The development marks an escalation in the legal pressure facing Comey, who was fired by Trump in 2017 and has since become one of the president's most prominent public critics.
Details of the specific charges in the latest indictment were not immediately available in the initial reporting. The Justice Department has not issued a detailed public statement outlining the basis for the new case.
Background
Comey served as FBI director from 2013 until his dismissal by Trump in May 2017, a firing that drew significant controversy and contributed to the appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
Since leaving office, Comey has written books, given interviews, and spoken publicly in ways that have been sharply critical of Trump. Trump, in turn, has repeatedly attacked Comey on social media and in public remarks, accusing him of misconduct during his tenure at the FBI.
This is the second time the Trump-era Justice Department has brought an indictment against the former director. The pattern has drawn scrutiny from legal observers and civil liberties advocates, who have raised questions about the independence of prosecutorial decision-making.
Broader context
The indictment comes amid a period in which the Trump administration has faced allegations of using the Justice Department to pursue political opponents and critics - allegations the administration has denied.
Comey is among several figures from the law enforcement and intelligence communities who have found themselves in legal or administrative crosshairs during Trump's second term in office.
The case is expected to draw significant attention from legal experts and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, given Comey's high profile and the circumstances surrounding his earlier dismissal.
Additional details regarding the charges, a potential trial date, and Comey's legal response are expected to emerge in the coming days.
