Former FBI Director James Comey was charged with two counts arising out a now-deleted image he shared on Instagram that showed seashells arranged to read "86 47."

A federal grand jury accused Comey of threatening President Donald Trump's life when he posted seashells forming the numbers 8647.

The charges against Comey involve a May 2025 social media post featuring seashells arranged to display "86 47," which Trump allies interpret as a threat against Trump. Here's why.

By Jan Wolfe April 30 (Reuters) - The latest criminal charges against James Comey are fundamentally flawed and will be dismissed on free speech grounds, according to legal experts, who said the former FBI director is being singled out for his criticism of President Donald Trump.

Comey, one of Trump's political foes, was indicted over an Instagram photo of seashells arranged in the shape of "86 47," which authorities have characterized as a deadly threat against the president

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel announced the charges against Comey at a press conference Tuesday.