Comey Threatened To Kill President Trump

On April 28, 2026, a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of North Carolina returned a two-count indictment charging former FBI Director James Brien Comey Jr. with knowingly and willfully making a threat to take the life of, or inflict bodily harm upon, President Donald J. Trump, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 871(a), and with transmitting such a threat in interstate commerce, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 875(c).

By SyndicatedNews | SNN.BZ

The charges stem from a now-deleted Instagram post Comey made on May 15, 2025, during a beach walk in North Carolina. The post featured a photograph of seashells arranged to spell out the numbers “86 47,” accompanied by the caption “Cool shell formation on my beach walk.” Comey removed the post the same day after it drew public criticism.

In a follow-up statement, Comey explained that he had interpreted the shell formation as a political message and did not realize that some people associate the numbers with violence. He stated that he opposes violence of any kind.

Prosecutors allege that a reasonable recipient familiar with the circumstances would interpret the post as a serious expression of intent to do harm to President Trump. The term “86” is slang that can mean to get rid of, eject, or eliminate something or someone, while “47” corresponds to Trump’s position as the 47th president. The indictment was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, where the photo was allegedly taken and posted.

The case represents the second federal indictment brought against Comey by the Justice Department in recent years. A prior indictment on unrelated charges involving statements to Congress was dismissed by a federal judge in late 2025.

James Comey Indictment dated September 25, 2025

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James Comey Indictment dated April 28, 2026

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Chronological Context: Comey’s Public Criticisms of President Trump

James Comey has publicly expressed strong negative views of President Trump over the course of several years, a pattern of statements that federal prosecutors have referenced in the context of the current threat allegations.

In June 2017, following his removal as FBI Director, Comey testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee. He stated under oath that President Trump had asked for his personal loyalty and had requested that he “let it go” regarding the investigation into former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. Comey also testified that President Trump had lied about the state of the FBI, describing those statements as “lies, plain and simple.”

In April 2018, Comey published the memoir A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership. In it, he wrote that President Trump is “unethical, and untethered to truth and institutional values. His leadership is transactional, ego driven and about personal loyalty.” He compared the Trump presidency to a “forest fire.” Comey further described Trump as “morally unfit to be president,” stating that a person who sees moral equivalence in certain events, treats women like “pieces of meat,” and lies constantly about matters big and small is not fit for the office on moral grounds.

These and other public statements by Comey have been widely reported as evidence of his longstanding animosity toward President Trump. Comey has maintained that his criticisms were based on his assessment of Trump’s character and conduct in office, not on any intent to incite violence.

The May 2025 Instagram post occurred against this backdrop of years of public friction. Federal investigators, including the FBI and Secret Service, examined the post in the context of Comey’s prior statements. The grand jury found probable cause to indict, according to U.S. Attorney W. Ellis Boyle for the Eastern District of North Carolina, who stated: “No one is above the law in the Eastern District of North Carolina. Our office regularly pursues threat cases including those against public officials.”

Comey has not yet entered a plea. The charges each carry a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison. A warrant for his arrest has been issued as part of the case.

This development comes three days after the arrest of another individual on separate allegations involving an attempted assassination attempt on President Trump during a dinner in Washington.

Sources