Former FBI Director James Comey released a five-minute video on his personal Substack on 17 Aug 2025 praising Taylor Swift as “a truly inspirational public figure” and saying her music “helps me deal with President Trump.” Comey, 64, described himself as a long-time “Swiftie,” recalling that he first saw the singer in concert 15 years ago in Hartford, Connecticut, and named “All Too Well” and “Exile” among his favorite tracks. In the clip, Comey urged Americans to confront political “bullies” without adopting their tactics, quoting Swift’s song “Mean” to make his point. He said there are “far more decent, honest, kind people in America than mean jerks,” criticized what he called the growing “coarseness” of the Republican Party, and added that Trump is “still humiliating America” on the world stage. The video quickly drew widespread attention online. Conservative commentators and right-leaning outlets mocked the former FBI chief, labeling the message “bizarre” and “cringe.” Comey, who is reportedly under federal investigation over his handling of the FBI’s 2016 Russia probe, did not address that matter in the recording.