The U.S. Department of Justice has brought criminal charges for a second time against James Comey, the former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The indictment, announced on Tuesday, alleges that Comey threatened the life of President Donald Trump through a social media post.
The case centers on a photograph Comey posted to Instagram in May 2025. The image showed seashells arranged in sand to form the numbers "86 47." Federal prosecutors argue that a reasonable person aware of the context would see this as a serious threat against the president. They contend that "86" is slang for eliminating someone and that "47" refers to Trump's status as the nation's 47th president. If convicted, Comey could face a prison sentence of up to ten years.
Comey has denied the allegations. He stated that he was unaware some people associate those numbers with violence and removed the post shortly after controversy arose. In a statement reported by European outlets, Comey declared his innocence regarding the charges.
The indictment was issued by a federal grand jury in North Carolina. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche characterized threatening the president as a severe breach of U.S. law, noting the country has seen violent rhetoric lead to deadly actions against Trump and other officials.
Media reports highlight the long-standing tension between the two figures. Al Jazeera notes that Trump has repeatedly called for Comey's prosecution, stemming from the FBI investigation into Trump's 2016 campaign that Comey oversaw. Russian outlet RT included a social media post from Donald Trump Jr., who accused Comey of casually calling for his father's murder and labeled him "demented."
The framing of the event varies. BBC and Folha de S. Paulo report the charges factually, focusing on the nature of the post. Le Monde's headline emphasizes Comey's declaration of innocence. RT's coverage provides the most detailed account of the Justice Department's legal rationale and includes contextual links to other alleged threats against Trump, such as a separate report on a charged gunman from a White House event.