Former FBI Director Faces Criminal Charges Over Instagram Seashell Photo
The U.S. Department of Justice announced Tuesday that former FBI Director James Comey has been indicted on criminal charges for allegedly threatening President Donald Trump through a social media post. The indictment marks the second time Comey has faced federal charges, according to Brazilian outlet Folha de S.Paulo.
The case centers on an Instagram post Comey published in May 2025 showing seashells arranged in sand to form the numbers "86 47." According to the Justice Department's announcement, prosecutors allege that "a reasonable recipient familiar with the circumstances" would interpret the post as "a serious expression of an intent to do harm to the president of the United States," as reported by Russian state outlet RT.
The numerical reference has been interpreted by critics as coded language: "86" is American slang for eliminating or getting rid of something or someone, while "47" refers to Trump's position as the 47th president of the United States. RT reports that critics viewed the combination as a call to kill Trump.
Comey's Response and Post Deletion
Comey has denied the allegations. According to RT, he stated he "didn't realize some people associate those numbers with violence." The former FBI director deleted the seashell photograph shortly after facing backlash over its interpretation.
The post drew immediate criticism from Trump's family. RT embedded a May 2025 tweet from Donald Trump Jr. that accused Comey of "casually calling for my dad to be murdered" and criticized what he termed "Dem-Media" worship of the former FBI director.
Legal Consequences and Official Statements
If convicted, Comey faces up to ten years in prison, according to both Argentine newspaper Clarín and RT. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the prosecution, stating according to RT: "Threatening the life of the president of the United States is a grave violation of our nation's laws. This country has witnessed violent incitement followed by deadly actions against President Trump and other elected officials."
Background Context on Comey-Trump Relationship
The indictment occurs against a backdrop of longstanding tensions between Comey and Trump. Al Jazeera notes that "Trump has long called for prosecution of Comey, who led an FBI investigation related to the president's 2016 campaign." Clarín provides additional context, describing Comey as "a fierce critic" of the U.S. president who was appointed to the FBI directorship under Barack Obama and was fired by Trump during his first term.
The BBC frames the case as stemming from "a 2025 seashell photo posted by the former FBI director that the justice department says calls for violence against Trump," while Folha de S.Paulo emphasizes this is the second time the Justice Department has brought criminal charges against Comey.
Broader Political Context
RT's coverage includes reference to other recent security incidents, mentioning "violent incitement followed by deadly actions against President Trump and other elected officials" in the Acting Attorney General's statement, and linking to coverage of a separate incident involving a gunman at a White House dinner.
The case raises questions about the interpretation of social media posts, the boundaries of free expression, and the application of laws prohibiting threats against the president. Sources across different regions report the basic facts consistently—the Instagram post, the numerical arrangement, and the criminal charges—but vary in their emphasis on political context and the history between the two figures.