James Comey Indicted Over ‘86 47’ Post Allegedly Threatening President Trump

Former FBI Director James Comey has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges tied to a social media post prosecutors say amounted to a threat against President Donald Trump.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the charges, emphasizing that threats against the president will be prosecuted. The indictment, filed in the Eastern District of North Carolina, includes one count of making a threat against the president and another count related to transmitting that threat across state lines.

The case centers on a May 2025 Instagram post in which Comey shared an image of seashells arranged to form the numbers “86 47.” Prosecutors argue the message could be interpreted as a call for violence against the 47th president, while Comey has insisted it was harmless.

In a media appearance following the post, Comey described the image as “totally innocent” and said it was “crazy” that anyone would view it as threatening. The phrase “86” is commonly used as slang for removing or getting rid of something, though authorities contend the context gave it a more serious implication.

Blanche noted that similar cases have been prosecuted in the past, including threats made against other political figures, and said the Justice Department would treat Comey’s case no differently despite his high-profile background.

Comey responded defiantly after the indictment was announced, saying he would fight the charges in court and expressing confidence in the judicial system. His attorney, Patrick Fitzgerald, said Comey “vigorously denies” the allegations and intends to challenge them on First Amendment grounds.

The indictment comes as tensions remain high following a recent attempted attack at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, where a suspect tried to breach security while armed. Authorities have not directly linked that incident to Comey’s case, but it has heightened focus on rhetoric surrounding political violence.

This is not Comey’s first legal battle in recent years. A prior indictment related to alleged false statements to Congress was dismissed by a federal judge, who ruled that the prosecutor lacked proper authority to bring the case at the time.

Prosecutors say the current charges are based solely on the content and intent of the social media post, and the case is expected to move forward in federal court in the coming months.