Former FBI Director James Comey was indicted Tuesday for a second time after a federal grand jury handed up charges tied to a social media post that many interpreted as a threat against President Donald Trump.
The indictment stems from a 2025 Instagram photo showing seashells arranged to spell out “86 47,” a phrase widely understood as a reference to removing or targeting the 47th president of the United States. Trump allies immediately blasted the post as dangerous rhetoric after two assassination attempts and multiple threats against the president.
Comey later deleted the image after backlash exploded online.
“It never occurred to me, but I oppose violence of any kind so I took the post down,” Comey wrote on Instagram after removing the photo.
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According to CBS News, the indictment was returned in the Eastern District of North Carolina following a federal investigation involving the Secret Service.
The exact criminal charges have not yet been publicly released, but the case marks another major escalation in the years-long battle between Comey and President Trump.
This is the second criminal case brought against Comey. In 2025, he was indicted on charges connected to alleged false statements to Congress and obstruction tied to testimony about FBI leaks during the Russia investigation. That case was later dismissed after a judge ruled the special prosecutor overseeing the matter had been improperly appointed.
Comey has remained a lightning rod for controversy since the 2016 election cycle, when he publicly announced the FBI would not recommend charges against Hillary Clinton over her private email server despite declaring she had been “extremely careless” with classified information.
Months later, Comey became one of the central figures behind the Trump-Russia hoax that consumed much of Trump’s first presidency. Comey and senior FBI officials have long been accused of weaponizing federal law enforcement through the now-discredited Steele dossier, FISA surveillance abuses and the Crossfire Hurricane probe that ultimately failed to prove any collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
