WASHINGTON D.C April 28, 2026 — A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of North Carolina returned an indictment today against former FBI Director James Comey on two felony counts related to threats against the President of the United States, the Department of Justice announced.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche made the announcement during a press conference at the Department of Justice, stating that Comey faces:
- Count One: Knowingly and willfully making a threat to take the life of, and inflict bodily harm upon, the President of the United States.
- Count Two: Knowingly and willfully transmitting in interstate commerce a communication containing a threat to kill the President of the United States.
Both counts carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
“It’s fair to say that threatening the life of anybody is dangerous and potentially a crime; threatening the life of the President of the United States will never be tolerated by the Department of Justice,” Blanche said.
The charges stem from a May 15, 2025, Instagram post by Comey featuring a photograph of seashells arranged on a North Carolina beach to spell out “86 47.” Federal investigators interpreted the post as a coded threat, with “86” commonly used as slang for “eliminate” or “get rid of” and “47” referring to President Donald J. Trump as the 47th President of the United States.
Comey later deleted the post and described it as an innocent image of a “cool shell formation,” but prosecutors allege the communication was a deliberate threat transmitted through interstate commerce.
The White House Rapid Response account shared video of Blanche’s full remarks shortly after the indictment was unsealed, emphasizing the administration’s zero-tolerance policy on threats against the President.
This marks the second federal indictment of Comey in recent months. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
Comey has not yet publicly commented on today’s indictment. His legal team is expected to respond in the coming days.
Life News Agency will continue to monitor developments in this case as it moves forward in federal court.
About The Author
