Comey's tangles with Trump are the latest in a decades-long legal career alongside major players like the special counsel Robert Mueller. Originally inspired by a hostage situation, he ended up leading cases against New York's financial elite, chef Martha Stewart, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Here's how Comey ended up where he is today.
Born in Yonkers, New York, Comey graduated from New Jerseys Northern Highlands Regional High School. In 1977, Comey and his younger brother were held at gunpoint in their parents home. Comeys said the scare inspired him to become a prosecutor and better empathize with victims.
Comey attended the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia where he studied chemistry and religion. He graduated with honors in 1982.
Facebook/William and Mary
Comey graduated with a J.D. from University of Chicago Law School in 1985. After being waitlisted at first, Comey got an impromptu interview during a campus visit and joined classmates including Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar. He earned a reputation as a brilliant, but humble, student.
Natalia Bratslavsky/Shutterstock
From 1987-1993, Comey served as assistant US attorney for the Southern District of New York before becoming partner at private law firm McGuireWoods, where he specialized in criminal defense and commercial litigation.
In 1996, Comey joined the special committee investigating the Whitewater Development Corporation and allegations that former President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary were involved in a fraudulent real estate deal.
Comey served as the assistant US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia in Richmond until 2002, when he became US attorney for the Southern District of New York.
As attorney for SDNY, Comey brought charges against Martha Stewart for conspiracy, obstruction of justice and securities fraud in 2004. She was convicted on all counts, sentenced to five months in prison, 2 years probation, and charged $30,000 in fines.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
After becoming Deputy Attorney General in 2003, Comey worked with then-FBI Director Robert Mueller on bringing charges against Enron chief executive Jeffrey Skilling in 2004.
Comey then moved back into the private sector, taking an executive role at Lockheed Martin in 2005 and becoming general counsel at Bridgewater Associates, a Connecticut-based investment company.
As US Attorney, Comey filed criminal charges against 47 currency traders in 2003 after an 18-month undercover operation.
In 2013, President Barack Obama nominated Comey upon then-director Robert Muellers retirement. Obama called Comey "the perfect person" to replace Mueller, as "he doesnt care about politics; he only cares about getting the job done."
Comey was confirmed as FBI director July 29. 2013 by a 93-1 vote and sworn in on September 4, 2013.
Comey entered the political spotlight in July 2016 when he testified to the House Oversight Committee on the FBIs investigation into Hillary Clintons use of a private email server. He called Clintons actions "extremely careless" but said no "reasonable prosecutor" would move forward with a case.
Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Then-candidate Donald Trump hit back at Comeys announcement, suggesting that the investigation was part of a "#RiggedSystem."
In October 2016, eleven days before the presidential election, Comey announced that the FBI was reviewing new emails belonging to Clinton aide Huma Abedin. The emails were found as part of an investigation into Abedins husband, former Congressman Anthony Weiner.
Associated Press/J. Scott Applewhite
After reviewing the emails, Comey announced that the agency still wouldnt pursue criminal charges against Clinton. The announcement came two days before the presidential election and The timing of the renewed investigation and announcement drew sharp backlash from lawmakers and cast Comey at odds with other intelligence officials.
A 568-page Justice Department report later faulted Comey for mishandling the investigation, calling his conduct "insubordinate," but not affected by bias.
Comey was FBI director when President Donald Trump took office in January 2017, and the two appeared cordial at first.
Andrew Harrer-Pool/Getty Images
On January 27, 2017, Trump allegedly asked Comey for loyalty at a private dinner, otherwise suggesting he would be fired, according to testimony Comey gave in April 2018.
J. Scott Applewhite, File via AP
In February 2017, Trump allegedly asked Comey to discontinue the investigation into his former national security adviser and the first high-profile member of Trumps campaign to be indicted, Michael Flynn. Flynn would later plead guilty to lying to the FBI and end up helping the special counsels Russia investigation.
After Comey acknowledged the ongoing FBI investigation into possible coordination between Trumps campaign and Russia, Trump allegedly called him in March and April to ask if Comey could "lift the cloud" of the investigation.
REUTERS/Carlos Barria, Jonathan Ernst/File Photos
Trump then took public aim at Comey, ramping up his Twitter hits a day before Comey was due to testify in front of Congress.
Trump then prompted outcry from both sides of the aisle when he fired Comey on May 12, 2017, saying days later it was because of "this Russia thing."
After a taunting tweet from Trump, Comey said he changed his mind on keeping his experience "in a box." The New York Times reported on secret memos from Comey and Trumps conversations in May 2017, which Comey later admitted to leaking.
In April 2018, Comey turned his testimony about conversations with Trump into a memoir title "A Higher Loyalty." Several teasers released from the tell-all revealed Comeys highly critical take on Trump, who tweeted amid the books release to call Comey an "untruthful slime ball."
Trump has continued his public swipes at Comey, usually in combination with claims about special counsel Robert Muellers investigation.
Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Comey was subpoenaed on November 22 by the House Judiciary Committee for private testimony about the FBIs actions in the 2016 campaign. He initially resisted the closed-door proceedings, then settled for a delayed transcript release after the December 7 testimony.
Associated Press/Manuel Balce Ceneta
However, his testimony didnt offer any firm resolution. Comey said after his testimony that House Republicans were not conducting "a search for truth" but "a desperate attempt" to attack the investigation on Trump. Trump said, with no evidence or explanation, that Comeys statements were "all lies!"
As Muellers investigation ramps up legal trouble for Trump, Comeys recent official moves against the president and public pleas for voters to use every breath we have in the 2020 election seem to mean he isnt going anywhere.
Drew Angerer/Getty Images
SEE ALSO: Meet the man behind the Trump-Russia investigation: the special counsel Robert Mueller
DON'T MISS: James Comey urged people to 'use every breath we have' to stop Trump from getting reelected in 2020
