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Trump Justice Department brings second indictment against James Comey

newsApr 29, 2026513,443

The Justice Department filed a new indictment charging former FBI Director James Comey with making criminal threats against President Donald Trump for a 2025 Instagram photo that arranged seashells to read "86 47". Comey surrendered to authorities and made an initial appearance in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, after a grand jury returned the indictment; it is the second federal indictment against Comey in the past year. Comey’s attorneys said they will file motions to dismiss, accusing the Justice Department of selective and vindictive prosecution. The case could set a legal precedent on when symbolic social-media imagery crosses into criminal threats and on prosecuting political figures, with implications for free-speech limits.

Chris Geidner
@chrisgeidner.bsky.social

Former FBI Director James Comey was indicted for placing seashells by the seashore. And for posting. Today's indictment: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
US DIA Mou, Jr., Clerk
FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA
Eastern District of NC
EASTERN DIVISION
NO. 4:26-CR-1-FL-RN
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
v.
JAMES BRIEN COMEY JR.
The Grand Jury charges that:
INDICTMENT
COUNT ONE
On or about May 15, 2025, in the Eastern District of North Carolina, the defendant, JAMES BRIEN COMEY JR, did knowingly and willfully make a threat to take the life of, and to inflict bodily harm upon, the President of the United States, in that he publicly posted a photograph on the internet social media site Instagram which depicted seashells arranged in a pattern making out "86 47", which a reasonable recipient who is familiar with the circumstances would interpret
as a serious expression of an intent to do harm to the President of the United
States.
In violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 871(a).
962Yesterday
Chris Geidner361

Even more tangential: Taking a picture of seashells by the seashore.

Bill Grueskin144

I'm pretty sure Comey has said he didn't arrange the seashells -- just took a photo of them after his wife pointed them out to him. And the indictment doesn't allege he did.

diannea.bsky.social59

In January 2022, Jack Posobiec, a conservative activist posted "86 46" on X, referring to former President Joe Biden. source: www.pbs.org/newshour/pol... hope defense gets the grand jury info in discovery

essequam.bsky.social20

Actually just taking a picture and posting it, per his retelling.

Violet Says Abolish ICE15

Wait didn’t 86 come from restaurants? Like for food they took off the menu or were out of? So they were inflicting bodily harm on, like, a Reuben? 🤣🤣

lethistle.bsky.social10

Can Trump get indicted again for posting a bullseye over a first lady?

gacyclist.bsky.social6

Literally pages of companies selling "96 46" stickers on Amazon www.amazon.com/Biden-Resist...

Susan5

Not even placing them. Just taking a picture and sharing it.

Moosedog664

#TrumpFucksKids EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN

Jefferson Smith4

Not to be fussy, but wasn’t it his claim that he came upon the seashells in that pattern?

Expatriot3

Nobody "reasonable" thinks that. It's fucking diner slang

Robyn Eckhardt3

“reasonable recipient” carrying a lot of weight here

Larry Williamson (L422Y)3

did he place them ??

Mortimer Jones III3

I mean. Fuck James Comey though.

Moosedog662

#TrumpFucksKids EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN EPSTEIN

kmdelaney1963.bsky.social2

Can't wait to hold these scoundrels to account when this Trump era reaches its inevitably ruinous end.

Mike Lowder2

I know we're all frogs in the heating pot, but this sort of blatant, bad-faith, politicized weaponization of government by the GOP shows how far gone the US is. Whatever comes after, we'll have to build something decent and just or condemn future generations to live with our failure.

Michael J. Stern
@michaeljstern.bsky.social

I worked for the Justice Department for 25 years & I'm fuming about the new James Comey indictment. Comey wrote "8647" which he said was a reference to canning Trump. DOJ says it was a threat to kill Trump. This is insane. This will end badly for DOJ. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/28/u...

441Yesterday
Atticus Finch (of Georgia)15

No honest, reasonable person could interpret Comey's post as a threat to kill Trump.

John Roth12

I can't imagine what self-respecting AUSA would touch this case with a ten foot pole...

LakefrontDaisy1 🇨🇦❣️🇺🇦🍁8

God almighty Trump is a thin skinned baby. His sniveling sycophants embarrass themselves, daily.

SurelyUCantBSerious7

Worked in restaurants in the 80's when something ran out, they 86'ed it off the menu no violence involved

Starbuckler6

How tf did they even get an indictment? 🙄

PacNorthwest5

I think we've reached the point of shear f*cking nuts.

Greg in VA5

I understand that the DOJ has to prove it was a threat, but does Comey have to say what he even thought it meant? As his post said, "cool shell formation" and the defense rests...

Twainian5

Well, this is wrong and bad for the country. As bad as, or perhaps even worse than an FBI Director talking vaguely about an ongoing investigation right before a presidential election, in order to put his thumb on the scale. Though an FBI Director doing that would be obvious corruption, so…

Tori4

So fucking stupid show the Epstein files bring out the child rapist Epstein files. He’s a pedophile. He’s a child rapist. He’s a 34 convicted felon. He’s nothing more than a con bring out the fucking Epstein rape files because his name is in there thousands of times bring out the child rape files!!

Grateful-1.bsky.social3

It is INSANE, but then so is this Entire, Demented SICK Regime‼️...They do nothing Productive for Americans -- They defy every law in the book while continually abusing the actual Rules of Law -- ALL at the Taxpayers Expense‼️

EB Estes3

I'm screwed if they find out what I did with those conches

Nice Old Geezer Opposes Fascist Dictators2

Comey’s attorney will make mincemeat of the charges. This will never make it to trial. But the point is for Trump’s DOJ to embarrass and inconvenience the targets of his retribution campaign.

constantjoy.bsky.social2

DOJ = Department of Jugheads It’ll be a long time coming before Justice is part of the practice.

southernrosie.bsky.social2

Everyone knows “86” is kick him out or throw him out. They are even dumber than I thought.

Sandy EggO 🌵❌👑 🚫🧊2

Leave Comey alone. There is nothing wrong with what he spelled out. It is covered by the Freedom of Speech. I'll say it myself. 8647

Steve Aufrecht2

I don’t think those at DOJ care if they win these. The point is to harass people, waste their time and $ defending themselves. It’s sadistic.

AnneC2

Old enough to remember when Trump gave Comey a big THANK YOU hug after he was elected in 2016. Comey was indeed instrumental in Trump's first win. www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaHR...

Paul Gowder
@gowder.io

wait what the fuck? some U.S. attorney/trumpist hack seriously got an indictment against Comey for the "86 47" post? There is seriously nothing left of the DOJ. After Trump is out of office (MEMO TO TODD BLANCHE: BY LAWFUL AND PEACEFUL MEANS ONLY) I don't know how we get it back, if possible

174Yesterday
Forbes
@forbes.com

The indictment stems from an Instagram post Comey made last year depicting seashells spelling “86 47,” which led to allegations the post was a threat against President Donald Trump.

143Yesterday
lukeflyswatter.bsky.social36

Well, at least the seashells weren't arranged to spell: "a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again"!

quinee.bsky.social15

What a bunch of crap. He didn't write it , took a pic of it and posted it. Trump on the other hand goes on line stating he's glad someone's dead, calls reporters piggy, insults special needs people, lies continually, us a felon sitting as President, what a joke the USA government has become

tired-gramma.bsky.social11

These are the people that call liberals “snowflakes”.

Gerard Harbison8

This is ludicrous. Indicting him over seashells!

Andrew7

You surely will report that this happened to right? Just to show you are credible journalists right?

DanielUpton6

“Fire the president” instagram posts are illegal now?? lol sure Jan

Greg Snyder6

The new Comey indictment is another red herring spectacle that has no relevance to anything important. It is today's Trumpian/mainstream media/DoJ deflection/distraction from truly important issues like the Iran war debacle, the still unreleased Epstein files, tariff rip off, Gestapo/ICE, etc, etc.

ukbibi.bsky.social5

How dismissive of DOJ when it comes to a Convicted Felon 🤷🏾‍♀️

Miss Led 🆘 🇺🇸3

Indict Bezos for selling merch.

GayGuy3

I have worked in the restaurant industry for 30 years. Here's what 86 means: we are sold out of it, quit selling it. Or, if you are talking exclusively about an order code from a place like Cisco foods or Gordon's, it means: sold out/cannot order.

Blackbelt0102

" a whole civilization will die tonight " Donald j.Trump 4/6/26

KeepItReal2

Trump's DOJ better rehire all those agents and lawyers they fired, because there's a lot of 86'n out there...

carlosamammal.bsky.social2

So. When does the President get indicted for threatening to massacre an entire civilisation?

Viking4Life2

The ridiculous indictment. There fixed it for you. #8647

2 sources