US EditionEx-FBI Director James Comey indicted for his '8647' seashell post on Instagram
The indictment accuses Comey of posting a seashell image that prosecutors say was a threat against President Donald Trump, carrying up to 10 years in prison.
- On Tuesday, the Justice Department indicted former FBI Director James Comey for a second time, with charges reportedly stemming from a May 2025 Instagram post showing seashells arranged to spell '86 47'.
- A federal judge dismissed the first indictment in November 2025 after ruling U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan was unlawfully appointed, prompting the Justice Department to pursue fresh charges against Comey.
- Comey's May 2025 post sparked immediate backlash, with administration officials characterizing it as a call for assassination; Comey stated he 'opposed violence of any kind' and assumed the shells were 'a political message.'
- Legal experts express skepticism that charges will survive constitutional scrutiny; broad First Amendment protections for political speech set a high bar for prosecution, likely triggering contested litigation.
- This renewed prosecution reflects President Trump's pressure to target perceived political enemies, raising concerns about the Justice Department's impartiality as the administration pursues cases against high-profile former officials.
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442 Articles
Former FBI Director James Comey Indicted Over Alleged Trump Threat
Former FBI Director James Comey appears as a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on May 20, 2025. —Scott Kowalchyk—CBS/Getty ImagesThe Justice Department has indicted former FBI Director James Comey over a 2025 social media post of seashells that allegedly threatened President Donald Trump.The new charges include “knowingly and wilfully” making a threat against the President and transmitting a threat in interstate commerce, according to …
Comey Indicted Over '86 47,' 'Murder Trump' Seashell Post - NewsRescue
A federal grand jury has indicted former FBI Director James Comey on charges of making threats against the President of the United States, the Department of Justice announced on Tuesday, 28 April 2026. If convicted, Comey faces up to ten years in prison. The indictment centres on a single Instagram post from May 2025. Comey had photographed seashells arranged in the sand to form the numerals “86 47” and uploaded the image to his account. The DOJ…
Former FBI Director James Comey indicted for threatening Trump in Instagram post
WASHINGTON — Former FBI Director James Comey was indicted Tuesday over a photo he briefly shared on social media that officials said threatened President Donald Trump, marking the administration’s second attempt to prosecute one of his biggest political opponents. The image posted on Instagram last year showed seashells forming the numbers "86 47". "Eighty-six" is a slang term used to mean "eject" or "remove". Comey has insisted he did not know …
At the center of the accusations post with a photo of the inscription "86 47" made with shells on the beach. It would mean: eliminate the 47th president
Lawyer: Comey 'Vigorously Denies' Seashells Charge
James Comey says a photo of seashells has landed him in court—but he insists he's not backing down. The former FBI director on Tuesday addressed a fresh federal indictment accusing him of threatening to harm former President Trump over a social media image showing shells arranged to read "86...
Ex-FBI boss James Comey is accused of threatening the lives of US President Donald Trump. Background is a picture with two digits of shells.
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