WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. President Donald Trump, has slammed James Comey, the former FBI director, a day after charges have been laid against him for allegedly lying to Congress. Comey strongly disputes he charge and says he is looking forward to a trial.

Despite legal proceedings afoot, the U.S. president has repeated claims against the embattled former director, who served under Trump in his first term before being fired in May 2017, calling him 'corrupt,' and a 'dirty cop.'

Previously he had labelled Mr Comey as 'a bad man' and that he was 'sick.'

"Whether you like Corrupt James Comey or not, and I can't imagine too many people liking him, HE LIED! It is not a complex lie, it's a very simple, but IMPORTANT one. There is no way he can explain his way out of it," Mr Trump posted on his personal social media platform Truth Social on Friday.

"He is a Dirty Cop, and always has been, but he was just assigned a Crooked Joe Biden appointed Judge, so he's off to a very good start."

"Nevertheless, words are words, and he wasn't hedging or in dispute. He was very positive, there was no doubt in his mind about what he said, or meant by saying it. He left himself ZERO margin of error on a big and important answer to a question. He just got unexpectedly caught. James "Dirty Cop" Comey was a destroyer of lives. He knew exactly what he was saying, and that it was a very serious and far reaching lie for which a very big price must be paid! President DJT," the president added.

Comey's arraignment is expected in two weeks, on 9 October.

Mr Trump later told reports as he was heading off to a golf tournament, "There'll be others."

'Today, a federal grand jury has charged former FBI Director James Comey with serious crimes related to the disclosure of sensitive information,' the U.S. Justice Department said in a statement Thursday..

'The indictment alleges that Comey obstructed a congressional investigation into the disclosure of sensitive information in violation of 18 USC 1505.' th statement said.

'The indictment also alleges that Comey made a false statement in violation of 18 USC 1001. Comey stated that he did not authorize someone at the FBI to be an anonymous source. According to the indictment that statement was false.'

"No one is above the law," Attorney General Pamela Bondi said Thursday. "Today's indictment reflects this Department of Justice's commitment to holding those who abuse positions of power accountable for misleading the American people. We will follow the facts in this case."

The indictment has the support of current FBI Director Kash Patel. "Today, your FBI took another step in its promise of full accountability," he said in a statement Thursday "For far too long, previous corrupt leadership and their enablers weaponized federal law enforcement, damaging once proud institutions and severely eroding public trust. Every day, we continue the fight to earn that trust back, and under my leadership, this FBI will confront the problem head-on."

"Nowhere was this politicization of law enforcement more blatant than during the Russiagate hoax, a disgraceful chapter in history we continue to investigate and expose. Everyone, especially those in positions of power, will be held to account - no matter their perch. No one is above the law," Patel said.