Former FBI Director James Comey has been indicted for a second time, accused of threatening President Trump with an Instagram post featuring seashells. The DOJ alleges the arrangement of shells spelled a coded message, while Comey denies any malicious intent.
The Latest Development
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has indicted James Comey for a second time, this time over an Instagram post from May 2025 that authorities allege threatened President Donald Trump. The post featured seashells arranged to spell out the numbers “86 47,” which some officials interpreted as a coded message to remove or harm Trump, who is the 47th president. The indictment, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, charges Comey with two counts of threatening the president, each carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
Comey's Defense and Previous Indictment
Comey has denied any intent to threaten Trump, stating that he and his wife found the shells on a beach walk and posted the photo without realizing the numbers could be associated with violence. He deleted the post shortly after facing backlash and claimed he opposed violence of any kind. The Secret Service interviewed Comey about the post, and the DOJ initially dropped the case before reinstating the charges.
This is the second indictment against Comey under the Trump administration. In September 2025, he was indicted on charges of lying to Congress and obstructing a congressional investigation, but a federal judge dismissed that case in November, ruling that the prosecutor was improperly appointed. The DOJ has not yet responded to requests for comment on the latest indictment.
Broader Context and Legal Future
The indictment comes days after an alleged assassination attempt at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, where a shooter was apprehended near the event. Trump and his allies have accused Democrats of inciting violence through rhetoric, though no direct link has been established between the dinner incident and Comey’s post.
Comey’s legal team has not yet commented on the latest charges. The case is expected to draw significant attention given Comey’s high-profile role in past investigations involving Trump and his administration.