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Following her termination as a federal prosecutor, Maurene Comey called on her colleagues to condemn ‘abuses of power’.

Maurene Comey — the daughter of James Comey, the former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) — has condemned President Donald Trump shortly after being fired from her role as a federal prosecutor in the United States.

In a memo to colleagues obtained by The Associated Press on Thursday, Comey wrote that, if a “career prosecutor can be fired without reason, fear may seep into the decisions of those who remain”.

“Do not let that happen,” she said. “Fear is the tool of a tyrant, wielded to suppress independent thought.”

The memo came one day after Comey was let go from her role as an assistant US attorney in New York for the Department of Justice.

The Trump administration has not yet provided a reason for Comey’s firing. But her position had long been seen as vulnerable due to her association with her father, who oversaw an investigation into alleged collusion between Trump’s campaign and Russia during the 2016 presidential race.

The elder Comey was fired by Trump early in his first term, but the former FBI director has remained the subject of the president’s ire.

In congressional testimonies as well as a 2018 book, James Comey has decried Trump’s “unethical” and mafia-like approach to leadership. He has also argued that Trump’s decision to fire him was an effort to undermine the Russia investigation.

Since taking office for his second term, Trump and his allies have sought to purge Department of Justice employees involved in cases he disagreed with.

They include prosecutors who worked on special counsel Jack Smith’s prosecutions, as he pursued two federal criminal indictments against Trump: one for withholding classified documents while out of office and the other for attempting to subvert the 2020 election.

Both cases were dropped when Trump was re-elected in November 2024. It is against the Justice Department’s policies to prosecute a sitting president.

The Associated Press reported earlier this month that more career prosecutors, as well as support staff, involved in Smith’s indictment had their jobs terminated.

Critics argue that the Trump administration’s decision to fire such employees has eroded the Justice Department’s independence. Many also point out that career civil servants do not choose their cases and instead serve under whichever presidential administration is in office, regardless of politics.

In her message to colleagues, Maurene Comey urged her fellow prosecutors to use their current predicament to fight even more zealously for the fair and impartial rule of law.

“Instead of fear,” she wrote, “let this moment fuel the fire that already burns at the heart of this place.”

“A fire of righteous indignation at abuses of power. Of commitment to seek justice for victims. Of dedication to truth above all else.”

Veteran lawyer

Prior to her firing, Maurene Comey had been a veteran lawyer for the Southern District of New York, often considered one of the top prosecution offices in the country.

She had most recently prosecuted Sean “Diddy” Combs, in a case that saw the music producer found guilty on charges of transportation for the purposes of prostitution, but acquitted on charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking.

She had previously worked on the successful prosecution of Ghislaine Maxwell on sex-trafficking charges connected to financier Jeffrey Epstein’s sexual abuse of underage girls.

The firing comes as Attorney General Pam Bondi faces criticism from segments of Trump’s Make America Great Again (MAGA) base for not releasing more evidence related to Epstein, including a full accounting of his alleged “client list”.

Epstein died by suicide in a Manhattan detention centre in 2019.

Some influential right-wing internet personalities, including Laura Loomer, have attacked Bondi and also called for Comey’s firing.

In addition, US media outlets have reported that the Trump administration is currently investigating James Comey and former director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John Brennan for their probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

At the time, the US intelligence community concluded that Russia did seek to meddle in the election, but that there was not enough evidence to support the claim that the Trump campaign sought to collude with Russian agents.

Further details of the reported probe into Comey and Brennan have not emerged.

AN INTERACTIVE tool can show you the best budget festival near you this summer.

This handy tool shows how you can max out your festival experiences – on a budget.

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Input your postcode and your favourite partying partner’s, and it will show all the summer shindigs you could be going to.

From comedy to music fests of all genres – the tool has it all.

It comes after research of 2,000 adults found Gen Z’s ideal summer would consist of five festivals and four trips abroad – but they have less than £1,000 to spend.

They would like to have a day at the beach seven times and go on four staycations during the three hottest months of the year.

And visiting a theme park is a summer must for 23 per cent.

But 79 per cent aren’t sure they’ll be able to afford everything they’d like to do – so, nearly four in 10 are planning to find cost-effective ways to travel to make the most of their budget.

Despite this, 23 per cent insist on tickets to at least one music festival this summer and a holiday abroad with pals is a ‘non-negotiable’.

But 24 per cent won’t compromise on comfortable and reliable travel to any events they go to.

As three quarters believe quality transport between events is important, because they want to be comfortable on long journeys (46 per cent) and want to get their trip off to the best start (44 per cent).

John Boughton, commercial director for National Express, which commissioned the research, said: “While the appetite for adventure is sky-high, the reality of rising costs means many young people are having to balance their dreams with what’s actually doable.

“As our tool shows, we are lucky enough to have hundreds of festivals and events around the UK at our fingertips, but a big blocker is the cost of an entertainment-filled weekend in a field – the prices can be well into the hundreds.

“That’s why we’re seeing Gen Z getting smart with their spending—being selective, savvy and seeking out ways to make the most of their money, with the travel there and back being key.”

The research also found Gen Z would like to attend six BBQs this summer and have fish and chips by the beach six times, while 29 per cent would love to spend more cash on dining out or takeaways, to save the strain of cooking.

And one in five have made plans to splash out on one or two key things this summer, but 17 per cent admit they’ve barely thought about it.

However, 72 per cent now feel as though having fun in the summer is a ‘luxury’, according to the OnePoll.com figures.

Although 43 per cent still say it’s more important to have fun in the sun – compared to the 15 per cent who reckon being sensible is a better option.

John Boughton, commercial director for National Express, added: “Ultimately, Gen Z aren’t prepared to sit the summer out.

“They’re finding clever ways to stay in the moment, prioritise what matters most, and still have an unforgettable time and it is encouraging that they are looking for affordable, reliable and comfortable travel to get the most out of their summer.

“This is a generation that thrives on fun, freedom and flexibility—and they’re making it work, one plan at a time.”

The Eurovision Song Content 2025 is finally here, and fans are flooding into Basel, Switzerland for the latest blockbuster TV extravaganza – and now you and your friends can come up with your own live scoreboard during the show

Eurovision is finally here – and you can play along by rating the performances with our very own interactive scoreboard. Play along with your friends and family to compare your final ranking after a winner has officially been crowned!

After two knock-out semi-finals, 20 qualifiers have been chosen to join the Big Five countries and reigning champions, plus hosts Switzerland on what is set to be a spectacular occasion in Basel.

The running order has now been decided, with Norway’s Kyle Alessandro due to open the show with his entry, Lighter.

READ MORE: ‘Life changing’ curl cream that tames frizz in hot weather creates ‘forever fans’

Israel’s Yuval Raphael qualified for the final after a public vote despite continued calls for Israel to be banned amid protests over the war in Gaza. The singer, a survivor of the October 7 Nova music festival massacre, will be the fourth act to take to the stage to perform the ballad New Day Will Rise.

Fans will have to wait until near the end of the evening to see the bookies’ favourite, KAJ of Sweden, who is 23rd in the lineup.

Meanwhile, British hopes rest with the country pop group Remember Monday. Band members Charlotte Steele, Holly-Anne Hull, and Lauren Byrne are sixth in the lineup with their energetic song, What the Hell Just Happened?

After the UK finished 18th last year, and 25th in 2023, Remember Monday will be hoping they can return to the successes of 2022, when Sam Ryder came second.

Now, as you watch the action unfold, you can keep track of your favourite performances by playing along with our interactive widget. Simply rate the artists out of 10 to choose your favourite. Then check back to see how your score tallies with the opinions of other Eurovision fans.

READ MORE: Where UK’s Eurovision entries are now – from fleeing the country to Glastonbury star

Meanwhile, as fans wait for the excitement to start on Saturday, why not take our quiz to test how well you know Europe’s premier song contest?

Can you recall the year Bucks Fizz performed Making Your Mind Up, when Abba met their Waterloo, or even as far back as Sandy Shaw and Puppet on a String? Or perhaps you came late to the Eurovision party and have fond memories of more recent winners Netta, Maneskin, and last year’s champion Nemo?

To help get you in the mood for Eurovision we’ve prepared a quiz testing your knowledge of all the cheesiest Eurovision classics.

All you have to do is guess the year of the song and performer. Use the slider to choose the year. Points are awarded for how close you get to the right answer, with 10 for being spot on, nine for one year out, eight for two, seven for three, and so on until you get to 10 years out.

Eurovision 2025 lineup (in running order)

1. Norway: Kyle Alessandro – Lighter 2. Luxembourg: Laura Thorn – La Poupée Monte Le Son 3. Estonia: Tommy Cash – Espresso Macchiato 4. Israel: Yuval Raphael – New Day Will Rise 5. Lithuania: Katarsis – Tavo Akys 6. Spain: Melody – ESA DIVA 7. Ukraine : Ziferblat – Bird of Pray 8. United Kingdom : Remember Monday – What The Hell Just Happened? 9. Austria: JJ – Wasted Love 10. Iceland: VÆB – RÓA 11. Latvia: Tautumeitas – Bur Man Laimi 12. Netherlands: Claude – C’est La Vie 13. Finland: Erika Vikman – ICH KOMME 14. Italy: Lucio Corsi: Volevo Essere Un Duro 15. Poland: Justyna Steczkowska – GAJA 16. Germany: Abor & Tynna – Baller 17. Greece : Klavdia – Asteromáta 18. Armenia: PARG – SURVIVOR 19. Switzerland: Zoë Më – Voyage 20. Malta: Miriana Conte – SERVING 21. Portugal: NAPA – Deslocado 22. Denmark: Sissal – Hallucination 23. Sweden: KAJ – Bara Bada Bastu 24. France: Louane – maman 25. San Marino: Gabry Ponte – Tutta L’Italia 26. Albania: Shkodra Elektronike – Zjerm

READ MORE: Gobsmacked Eurovision viewers convinced they’ve spotted ‘major American singer’ on stage