James Comey Indicted Over Instagram Seashell Post Seen as "Threat" to President Trump

The Department of Justice has filed new criminal charges against former FBI Director James Comey, accusing him of threatening President Donald Trump in a social media post from last year. The indictment centers on an Instagram photo Comey shared while on vacation, featuring seashells arranged to display the numbers "86 47."

Authorities argue the post was a veiled threat. In common slang, "86" is used to mean "eject" or "remove", typically in a restaurant setting, while 47 refers to Donald Trump being the 47th president of the US. Federal prosecutors have charged Comey with making a threat against the president and transmitting that threat across state lines.

When the photo was originally posted, Comey deleted it and issued a clarification, stating he had interpreted the seashells merely as a political statement. "I assumed [the sea shells] were a political message," he wrote at the time. "I didn't realise some folks associate those numbers with violence. It never occurred to me but I oppose violence of any kind so I took the post down."

Comey, who was fired by Trump during his first term amid an investigation into Russian election interference, has denied the allegations that the post was a threat of violence towards Trump. In a video posted to his personal Substack on Tuesday, he said: "Well, they're back. This time about a picture of sea shells on a North Carolina beach a year ago. And this won't be the end of it, but nothing has changed with me."

He further maintained his innocence, adding: "I'm still innocent, I'm still not afraid, and I still believe in the independent federal judiciary."

The administration, however, has taken a firm stance. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told reporters, "Threatening the life of the president of the United States will never be tolerated by the Department of Justice."

President Trump, who has frequently clashed with Comey, expressed his disdain for the post during a Fox News interview last year, arguing that the intent was obvious. "A child knows what that meant," the president said. "If you're the FBI director and you don't know what that meant, that meant assassination. And it says it loud and clear."

FBI Director Kash Patel also weighed in during a press conference, claiming that Comey "knew full well the attention and consequences of making such a post" and that he "disgracefully encouraged a threat on President Trump's life and posted it on Instagram for the world to see."

This marks the second time the DOJ has moved to prosecute the former FBI director. Last year, charges alleging Comey lied to Congress were dismissed after a federal judge ruled that the prosecutor assigned to the case had been appointed improperly. Comey's attorney, Patrick Fitzgerald, noted that they intend to fight the current indictment in court, asserting: "Mr Comey vigorously denies the charges contained in the indictment filed in the eastern district of North Carolina. We will contest these charges in the courtroom and look forward to vindicating Mr Comey and the first amendment."

Legal experts have already begun to question the strength of the government's case, with some suggesting the post likely constitutes protected speech under the First Amendment and that the indictment appears to be a politically motivated attempt to target people who speak out against the president.