For the first time in American history, a former FBI director has been indicted and risks arrest on charges of making death threats against the president of the United States. The Sword of Damocles hangs over James Comey’s head. The former official risks big for a photo of shells. Literally. In a shot posted on social media years ago while he was on holiday, there were those who read a threat to Trump’s safety. Let’s understand what’s behind the accusations and why a “grimaced” photo has become a state case in America.
The accusations
James Comey, former FBI number one, has been indicted on charges of making death threats against President Donald Trump in a post published on social media. According to CNN, the United States Department of Justice has also issued an arrest warrant.
The accusation against Comey was formalized by the acting Secretary of Justice Todd Blanch complete with a press conference: “A grand jury of the Eastern District of North Carolina issued an indictment against James Comey on two counts: knowingly and willingly threatening to kill and inflict physical injury on the President and knowingly transmitting and
voluntarily made an interstate communication containing a death threat.”
Blanche added: “It is fair to say that threatening the life of anyone 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.”
.@DAGToddBlanche: “While this case is unique, and this indictment stands out because of the name of the defendant, his alleged conduct is the same kind of conduct that we will NEVER tolerate, and that we will always investigate, and regularly prosecute.” https://t.co/zcDzOisIrm pic.twitter.com/xFOg9DrhV3
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 28, 2026
The offending photo
The photo of discord was posted by Comey last on Instagram, while he was on vacation on the coast of North Carolina. Shells can be seen positioned to form the numbers 86 and 47 with the caption “A curious formation of shells during my walk on the beach.”
The problem arises because the photo was interpreted by the Republicans as a threat against the tycoon. The number 86 would indicate the act of eliminating or permanently getting rid of someone, in a slang expression, while 47 would refer to the 47th president of the United States, Donald Trump.
The post was later deleted by Comey with the justification that he “did not realize that some people associate those numbers with violence” and that he was “against violence of any kind”.
The then secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, had announced that the former FBI chief would be the subject of an investigation for what she had defined as incitement “to the assassination” of the tycoon.
In September Comey had already been accused of lying to Congress during a hearing in September 2020 on Russiagate. The case was dismissed by Manhattan prosecutor Letitia James in November.
“I am innocent and I am not afraid”
Comey reiterated his innocence and said he is confident he will be exonerated in court in a video posted on Substack: “It won’t end here. However, as far as I’m concerned, nothing has changed. I’m still innocent. I’m still not afraid. And I continue to believe in the independence of the federal judiciary.”
The official, however, does not give up an attack: “However, it is essential that we all remember one thing: this is not the way the Department of Justice should operate. The good news is that, day after day, we are getting closer and closer to restoring those values. Don’t lose hope.”
Smell of revenge
James Comey has been on Trump’s blacklist for some time due to the investigation into the connection between Trump and Russia. Fired a few months after the president took office in 2017, he has since become one of his most outspoken critics as well as a figure strongly opposed by Republican circles in the White House and Congress. In September the tycoon had defined Comey as “one of the worst people the United States has ever dealt with”.