Former FBI Director James Comey Indicted in North Carolina Over Seashell Image Allegedly Threatening President Trump
Prosecutors argue a reasonable recipient familiar with the circumstances would interpret the sequence as an intent to harm the President, marking a second federal legal action against the former bureau chief.
The Department of Justice has issued a second federal indictment against former FBI Director James Comey in North Carolina, charging him with knowingly and willfully threatening the life of President Donald Trump. This legal action marks the second attempt by federal authorities to prosecute Comey regarding this specific conduct, following a previous indictment in Virginia that was subsequently dismissed.
The prosecution relies exclusively on an Instagram post made by Comey in 2025, which depicted seashells arranged on a beach to form the numbers "86 47". Prosecutors contend that, given the context, a reasonable recipient familiar with the circumstances would interpret this arrangement as a serious expression of intent to harm the President. The charge alleges that Comey publicly posted a photograph on the internet social media site Instagram which depicted seashells arranged in a pattern making out "86 47," which a reasonable recipient who is familiar with the circumstances would interpret as a serious expression of an intent to do harm to the President of the United States.
The term "86" is restaurant slang meaning an item is out of stock or, in some contexts, that a person is refused service or removed. In 2017, President Trump fired James Comey, the then-FBI Director, following an investigation into Trump's potential ties to Russia. The current administration, led by President Trump serving as the 47th President, has a long-standing public grudge against Comey regarding the 2016 investigation.
This action follows a previous indictment in Virginia that was dismissed, resulting in the removal of the interim US Attorney for that jurisdiction. The current legal team prosecuting Comey includes individuals described as Trump's personal lawyers. The current administration has previously dismissed a similar indictment in Virginia, resulting in the removal of the interim US Attorney for that jurisdiction.
The Department of Justice is currently led by one of President Trump's personal lawyers. The term "86" can also be applied to people a restaurant refuses to serve, and some slang dictionaries say it can refer to murder. In 2025, Trump's daughter, who served as a prosecutor, was fired. President Trump has a long-standing public grudge against Comey regarding the 2016 investigation.
A previous legal attempt to indict Comey in Virginia was unsuccessful and led to the dismissal of the case and the firing of the local US Attorney. The current legal team prosecuting Comey includes individuals described as Trump's personal lawyers. The current administration, led by President Trump serving as the 47th President, has previously dismissed a similar indictment in Virginia, resulting in the removal of the interim US Attorney for that jurisdiction.
