The Daily Signal - Victor Davis Hanson: James Comey Tried to Take Down Trump. Now, He’s Facing Justice.

Episode Date: September 29, 2025

Obama administration FBI Director James Comey has been indicted by the DOJ for his role in the Russiagate hoax and 2016 election interference. In the first of a two-part series, Victor Davis Hanson breaks down the moral implications of Comey’s tenure as FBI director—marked by some of the most controversial decisions in modern American political history—on today’s episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words.” “James Comey, remember, also, he met with Donald Trump. And they had a confidential conversation. That's not in dispute. And James Comey assured the president of the United States that he was not the subject of an FBI investigation. That was false. Now, he may not have said that under oath, but he admitted he said that, and so did Donald Trump.  “He lied to the president of the United States. And then what did he do? He took that conversation and ‘memorialized it.’ … He did not file them officially with the FBI. He put them in his private safe as safekeeping or insurance, so that he could embarrass the president of the United States, if he was ever threatened with firing.” 👉Don’t miss out on Victor’s latest videos by subscribing to The Daily Signal today. You’ll be notified every time a new piece of content drops: https://www.youtube.com/dailysignal?sub_confirmation=1    👉If you can’t get enough of Victor Davis Hanson from The Daily Signal, subscribe to his official YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@victordavishanson7273    👉He’s also the host of “The Victor Davis Hanson Show,” available wherever you prefer to watch or listen. Links to the show and exclusive content are available on his website: https://victorhanson.com  (0:00) Introduction  (2:05) Comey's Role in the 2016 Election (4:17) The Steele Dossier (6:53) Conclusion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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We'd love to talk. Business. James Comey was indicted by the Trump DOJ. I'd like to do something different, that is, to do a two-part, short little videos. Thought we could talk about the legal, separately from the moral indications. Comey, remember, was the FBI director when he interfered in the 2016 election. He admitted that he had leaked information trying to frame Donald Trump by memorializing a conversation and then hiding it from the FBI files and leaking it indirectly to the New York Times as insurance.

so that he could embarrass the President of the United States if he was ever threatened with fire. In addition to this, he was the one that hired Christopher Steele. Christopher Steele was working for Hillary Clinton, trying to override intelligence estimates and try to fabricate this phony dossier. But added all up morally and ethically, he was bankrupt. Hello, this is Victor Davis-Hansson for the Daily Signal. I'd like to do something different today. and the next day, and that is to do a two-part short little videos. One is on the moral

implications of James Comey's recent indictment, the former FBI director, and then the legal ramifications. Even though I'm not a lawyer, I thought we could talk about the legal separately from the moral indications. James Comey was indicted by the Trump DOJ on two counts. One, he is allegedly had lied under oath to Congress that he had not authorized leaks to the press by FBI subordinates, probably in particular Andrew McCabe, who admittedly lied four times, I think three times under oath, according to the Inspector General of the DOJ. And a second count that he obstructed by line to Congress in congressional investigation. But there's larger questions here. James Comey, remember, was the FBI director when he interfered in the 2016 election. He said that Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee who was running against Donald Trump, had broken the law by using an insecure private server in which classified material was transmitted. but he didn't think a jury would convict her, or he didn't think it led to a level of such seriousness.

That's not his decision, really. That's the Department of Justice. He's supposed to bring evidence. James Comey, remember also, he met with Donald Trump, and they had a confidential conversation. That's not in dispute. And James Comey assured the president of the United States. that he was not the subject of an FBI investigation. That was false.

Now, he may not have said that under oath, but he admitted he said that, and so did Donald Trump. They agree on that. So he lied to the president of the United States. And then what did he do? He took that conversation and memorialized it. And then he had four memos involving his interactions with the president. He did not, they were recorded on FBI machinery or devices.

but he did not file them officially with the FBI. He put him in his private safe as safekeeping or insurance so that he can embarrass the president of the United States if he was ever threatened with firing. So what did he do? He took one of those memos and gave it to a friend who happened to be a professor at Columbia for the express purpose of leaking it,

leaking it to the New York Times, and then he wouldn't have his fingerprints. So while he is legally charged with this other incident or crime, if he's proven guilty, of leaking, he admitted that he had leaked information about the President of the United States. And he also essentially admitted that he wasn't the object of an investigation when he likely was. In addition to this, he was the one that hired Christopher Steele. Christopher Steele was working for Hillary Clinton through three paywalls. through the DNC, through the Perkins Coe law firm, and through Fusion GPS.

It's against the law in a presidential federal campaign to hire a foreign national. He was on the payroll of the Clinton effort. He was also a contractor that James Comey hired, and he was the one who compiled this phony dossier. In addition, James Comey was in the room with... John Brennan and James Clapper when Barack Obama essentially said to them, essentially said to them, both during the campaign, but even after the election of 2016, I don't believe that your subordinate intelligence reports are accurate about not finding actionable Russian collusion. I want you to bring me something, I'm paraphrasing, that would show that Donald Trump was colluding.

He also, you remember, he laughed when he said that he sent his FBI team to interview Michael Flynn, but the administration in 2016 during their transition was so inept, so unprepared. They didn't even have a lawyer, so Michael Flynn just welcomed them naively into his office, and he talked to them, and he incriminated himself without counsel. Of course, the FBI people involved felt that he had been honest to them and had not tried to mislead. What am I getting at? All of these things that James Comey has been responsible for, the Russian collusion hoax, trying to frame Donald Trump, or I don't know what you would call it by memorializing a conversation,

and then hiding it from the FBI files and leaking it indirectly to the New York Times, or having anything to do with this scoundrel Christopher Steele, or trying to override intelligence estimates and try to fabricate something else, or giving special treatment to Hillary Clinton. But add it all up, at least morally and ethically, he was bankrupt, absolutely bankrupt. Maybe not in the legal strict sense or not in, he couldn't be prosecuted in a New York or Washington courtroom and get a guilty verdict from one of those juries, but he is morally culpable. next time we'll talk about his legal exposure.

Thank you very much. This is Victor Davis-Hansson for The Daily Signal. Thank you for tuning in to The Daily Signal. Please like, share, and subscribe to be notified for more content like this. You can also check out my own website at victorhansen.com and subscribe for exclusive features in addition.