Former FBI Director James Comey Has Been Indicted, Apparently Over an Instagram Post

In the years since James Comey briefly served as President Trump's FBI director, it seems fair to say the two of them have not kept up a warm relationship. Now, for the second time since taking office for his second term, the president's Department of Justice has indicted Comey, this time for a post on Instagram that he has since deleted.

The news that Comey was indicted for a second time led many to want to learn more about exactly what the indictment was over. Here's what we know about the post in question.

Comey was charged with threatening the life of President Trump after he posted an image of seashells arranged to say "86 47." 86 47 has become a common expression among critics of the president, and while some people might mean that they want to kill the president, plenty just mean they want him to be removed from office. Comey deleted the photo and issued an apology, saying he didn't realize some people interpreted that rhetoric as a call to violence.

Comey was indicted in North Carolina, where he owns a beach house and where the photo was taken. Comey says that he just passed the shells on the beach and decided to post them. In a video responding to the indictment, Comey said that he believed it was an attempt to silence him.

"They're back," he said in a video. "This time about a picture of seashells on a North Carolina beach a year ago. And this won't be the end of it."

Comey was referencing a previous attempt the administration made to indict Comey in 2025, when they alleged that he lied to Congress five years ago. That indictment was dismissed after a judge ruled that the prosecutor who had filed the indictment had been appointed illegally. Instead of bringing the same charge, though, the Department of Justice has brought new charges against Comey.

Although a second indictment has been filed, it remains to be seen whether the Department of Justice will be able to successfully secure a conviction of Comey on these charges. Comey's attorney, Patrick Fitzgerald, said that his client "vigorously denies" the charges in the indictment. "We will contest these charges in the courtroom and look forward to vindicating Mr. Comey and the First Amendment," he added.

The repeated targeting of Comey, combined with Trump's public post suggesting that he should be indicted, paints a picture of a Justice Department that is, at least in part, doing the bidding of the president. Historically, the DOJ has been independent of the White House precisely because it would prevent the department from going after the president's perceived enemies.

It's of course possible that Comey will ultimately be convicted on this charge. Ultimately, though, the basis for their case at this point does seem to be a single post of seashells he made on Instagram.