WASHINGTON: Former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director James Comey has been indicted on charges of threatening the life of US President Donald Trump, officials confirmed on Tuesday, reopening a legal battle months after an earlier case against the outspoken Trump critic was dismissed.
The indictment, handed down by a grand jury in North Carolina, centres on an Instagram post shared by Comey in May last year. The image depicted seashells arranged to form the numbers “86 47” on a beach — a sequence that prosecutors allege constituted a serious threat against the president.
Trump, speaking in an earlier interview with Fox News, claimed that “86” is commonly understood as slang for “kill”, while “47” referred to his position as the 47th president of the United States. “He knew exactly what that meant,” Trump asserted. “That meant assassination.”
Comey has rejected the accusations, maintaining his innocence and signalling his intent to challenge the charges in court. In a video statement posted on social media, he described the case as a continuation of politically motivated actions against him, according to AFP.
“They’re back this time about a picture of seashells on a North Carolina beach a year ago, and this won’t be the end of it,” Comey said. “I’m still innocent, I’m still not afraid, and I still believe in the independent federal judiciary, so let’s go.”
According to the indictment, the numerical reference in the post amounted to a “serious expression of an intent to do harm” to the president.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that Comey faces two counts: one for wilfully making a threat to kill or injure the president, and another for issuing an interstate threat. Each charge carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years.
“Threatening the life of anyone is dangerous and may constitute a crime,” Blanche said. “Threatening the life of the president of the United States will never be tolerated by the Department of Justice.”
Comey had earlier apologised for the post, explaining that he had not been aware that the numbers could be interpreted as violent code. “It never occurred to me, but I oppose violence of any kind, so I took the post down,” he said at the time.
The latest indictment comes just days after a separate incident in which a gunman was arrested for allegedly attempting to assassinate Trump during a dinner event in Washington hosted by the White House Correspondents’ Association, further heightening tensions around presidential security.
This is not the first time Comey has faced legal scrutiny under the current administration. In September, he was charged with making false statements to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding — accusations widely viewed by critics as politically driven.
However, a federal judge dismissed the case, ruling that the US attorney who initiated the charges had been unlawfully appointed.
In the same ruling, the court also threw out a separate case against Letitia James, another prominent Trump critic. Meanwhile, former National Security Adviser John Bolton has also been indicted on allegations related to the handling of classified information.
Democratic Senator Dick Durbin condemned the renewed prosecution of Comey, labelling it “baseless” and describing it as an act of “petty retribution”.
“This is another instance of a weaponised Justice Department acting on behalf of a vengeful president,” Durbin said in a statement.
Comey, who was appointed FBI director in 2013 by former President Barack Obama, was dismissed by Trump in 2017 during an investigation into alleged ties between Trump’s presidential campaign and Russia in the 2016 election.
The earlier charges against Comey were filed shortly after Trump publicly urged then-attorney general Pam Bondi to take action against him and other political adversaries — a move that drew criticism for undermining the Justice Department’s independence from the White House.
Bondi herself was dismissed this month, reportedly in part due to her failure to secure indictments against Trump’s opponents.
Since returning to the office, Trump has undertaken a series of measures targeting perceived adversaries, including dismissing government officials, scrutinising law firms involved in past cases against him, and cutting federal funding to certain universities.
Blanche, who assumed the role of acting attorney general following Bondi’s removal, has defended the investigations, stating that while some involve individuals with whom the president has had past disputes, pursuing such cases falls within his rights and responsibilities.
Adding another dimension to the unfolding legal battles, a judge ruled on the same day as the indictment that Comey’s daughter, Maurene Comey, may proceed with a lawsuit alleging that her dismissal as a federal prosecutor last year was politically motivated.
The case is expected to further intensify debate over the politicisation of the US justice system, as Comey prepares to contest the charges in what could become a high-profile legal confrontation.
