Former FBI Director James Comey has been indicted for a second time since President Donald Trump returned to office, this time over a 2025 social media post that prosecutors allege constituted a threat against the president. The post featured an image of seashells arranged to form the numbers “8647,” which authorities interpret as a coded message: “86” is slang for killing or eliminating someone, and “47” refers to Trump as the 47th president. A grand jury charged Comey with threatening the president’s life. Comey turned himself in and appeared in court, where he responded to the charges. The first indictment against Comey, brought earlier in Trump’s term, was dismissed by a judge. The new case comes amid reports that Trump has urged the Justice Department to more aggressively pursue cases against his critics, according to Time magazine. Comey, who served as FBI director under President Barack Obama and was fired by Trump in 2017, has been a frequent target of Trump’s public criticism. According to NPR, the term “86” has several possible meanings, including to kill, get rid of, or refuse service to someone. The post was since deleted, but prosecutors argue it expressed an intent to harm the president. Comey stated, “This time about a picture of seashells on a North Carolina beach a year ago, and this won’t be the end of it,” as quoted by The Independent. The case has drawn attention to the potential use of ambiguous online content as evidence of criminal threats. A commentary in The Free Press argued that the indictment is legally weak and could backfire. The writer contended that interpreting the seashells post as a genuine threat is a stretch, and that the case may allow Comey to portray himself as a victim of political persecution. The article suggested that the prosecution’s reliance on such evidence could undermine the credibility of the charges. Comey has been released pending further proceedings. The case is expected to continue through the legal system, with no trial date set. The outcome may hinge on whether the government can prove that the post constituted a true threat under the law, rather than protected speech.
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