US President Trump has suffered a legal defeat: The criminal proceedings he initiated against former FBI Director Comey and New York Attorney General James have been dismissed.

A US federal court has dismissed charges against James Comey, a vocal critic of US President Donald Trump and former FBI director. The court ruled that the prosecutor handling the case, Lindsey Halligan, should not have been appointed by the US Department of Justice. She had been appointed on an interim basis. The case can now be reopened with a new indictment.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that the Justice Department would soon appeal the decision. Comey was indicted by a grand jury in September on charges of making false statements and obstructing Congress. He pleaded not guilty and denied any wrongdoing.

A lawsuit against New York Attorney General Letitia James was also dismissed by the presiding judge on the same grounds. US media outlets interpreted the court's decision as a major defeat for President Trump.

Lawyers see this as an act of revenge by the US president.

Comey was indicted at the end of September on charges including making false statements, following intense pressure from Trump on the Justice Department. The Justice Department stated at the time that the 64-year-old was also accused of obstructing a congressional investigation.

The indictment came just days after Trump strongly urged his Attorney General Pam Bondi via social media to take action against people he considered enemies. The president complained that there was a lot of talk but no action – and explicitly named Comey.

Comey was appointed director of the FBI by then-President Barack Obama in 2013. During Trump's first term, he led the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US election and possible links between Moscow and members of Trump's campaign team. Comey was fired by Trump in 2017 in connection with the ongoing investigation.

Comey: The proceedings were based on malice

In a video on Instagram, Comey said:"I am grateful that the court dismissed the case against me." He said it was based on "malice and incompetence" and was "a reflection of what the Justice Department has become under Donald Trump."

The Comey indictment received considerable attention because critics see it as a possible example of how Trump's opponents and disliked individuals are subjected to targeted pressure. Comey's lawyers had previously argued that the prosecution of their client was an act of revenge ordered by Trump.

James had pursued civil lawsuits against Trump for financial fraud.

New York Attorney General James is also considered a critic of the president and has frequently been the target of Trump's anger - especially since she won a civil case in 2024 that ordered the current president and his"Trump Organization" to pay around 450 million US dollars for financial fraud.

She had proven that the current president, as well as his sons and employees, had misrepresented the value of the private company Trump Organization for years in order to obtain cheaper loans and insurance contracts. In September, an appeals court ruled the sentence"excessive" and ordered a new sentence to be imposed.

James expressed relief in a statement."Today's victory fills me with confidence, and I am grateful for the prayers and support I have received from across the country," the Democrat said."I remain fearless in the face of these baseless allegations as I continue to fight every single day for the people of New York."

Halligan had accused James of bank fraud.

Prosecutor Halligan announced in October that James would face charges of bank fraud for allegedly falsely declaring her new property as her primary residence when she purchased a house in 2023.

Halligan was nominated by Trump in September to serve as the new acting federal prosecutor and was subsequently formally appointed by the Justice Department. Prior to her appointment, Halligan was a White House staffer and Trump's personal lawyer.

Prior to Halligan's nomination, another interim prosecutor, Erik Siebert, had been forced out of office after, according to media reports, he refused to pursue criminal charges against Comey and James. He had reportedly concluded, among other things, that the evidence presented in Comey's case was insufficient for an indictment.