The U.S. Department of Justice indicted former FBI Director James Comey on Tuesday, April 29, 2025 [2], for allegedly threatening President Donald Trump [1].
The case marks a significant escalation in the legal conflict between the former bureau chief and the 47th president. This indictment follows a previous DOJ action against Comey that was dismissed in 2024 [4].
Federal prosecutors center their case on an Instagram post Comey shared in May 2025 [3]. The image featured seashells arranged to spell "86 47" [1]. Prosecutors said the arrangement constitutes a coded threat against the president.
According to the DOJ, the number "86" is slang for "eject" or "remove" [1]. The number "47" refers to the 47th president of the United States [1]. While some interpretations suggest the code is a threat to remove the president, other reports describe it as a threat to kill him [5].
Comey has denied the allegations. In a video interview, he said, "I’m still innocent" [1]. In further statements regarding the seashell photo, Comey said, "I’m still not afraid" [3].
This is the second time the Justice Department has brought an indictment against the former director [4]. Comey expressed a readiness to face the charges, saying, "Let’s go" [4].
The indictment was issued by federal authorities in the U.S. and is currently moving through the court system [2, 5].
“"I’m still innocent."”
This indictment tests the legal boundary between political expression and criminal threats. By interpreting a social media image as a coded threat, the DOJ is applying a specific linguistic analysis to digital content to establish intent. The outcome will likely set a precedent for how the government prosecutes symbolic speech directed at high-ranking officials.
