James Comeythe former director of the FBI, is facing intense backlash — and now legal trouble — after a since-deleted social media post sparked outrage among Republicans. The controversy stems from a photo taken on Instagram in May 2025 showing seashells arranged to read “86 47”, which critics interpreted as a coded message targeting… Donald Trump. What started as online criticism has since escalated into a major political and legal battle.
On April 28, 2026, the US Department of Justice indicted Comey for the second time over this position, in another attempt to prosecute the former FBI director under the Trump administration. The charges, approved by a federal grand jury, include making a threat against the president and transmitting that threat across state lines. This case follows a previous indictment in September 2025 for alleged false statements before Congress, which was later dismissed on procedural grounds.
Tulsi GabbardTrump’s director of national intelligence, also commented during a Fox News interview in May 2025, accusing Comey of “taking a jab” at the president and calling the post dangerous in light of recent threats against Trump. “People like Comey and others are calling the president a modern-day Nazi, and they are people in positions of influence who say President Trump poses an existential threat to our country,” she added.
In response, Comey maintained his innocence and rejected the charges. “I’m still innocent, I’m still unafraid and I still believe in an independent federal judiciary, so let’s go,” he said in a video statement posted on Substack, urging Americans to “keep the faith.”
Below, learn what Comey said in response to the backlash and find out what the term “86” means.
What did James Comey share in the photo?
In a since-deleted Instagram post, Comey shared a photo of seashells with the numbers “86 47” written on them. The former FBI director commented on the post, saying: “Awesome shell formation while walking on the beach.”
In response to the uproar, Comey explained in a subsequent Instagram post on Thursday, May 15, “I didn’t realize some people would associate these numbers with violence. It never occurred to me, but I oppose violence of any kind, so I removed the post.”
What does 86 47 mean?
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, “86” is a common slang term meaning “to reject,” “to throw away,” or “to throw away.” The dictionary also notes that the term can mean “to kill.” In a sentence, for example, a person might say: “The individual was eighty-six from the bar.”
Republicans argued that Comey’s post could have been an incitement to violence against Trump. Since he is the 47th President of the United States, some have accused Comey of wanting to become the 47th President.
What happened to James Comey?
Comey served as FBI Director from 2013 until May 2017, when he was fired. Trump While leading an investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. His dismissal quickly became a major political flashpoint and led to the appointment of a special counsel Robert Mueller.
