Former FBI director James Comey charged with threatening Trump's life

The indictment stems from a 2025 photo of seashells posted by Comey that critics have said encouraged violence against the US president. Former FBI director James Comey charged with threatening Trump's life Watch: 'I'm not afraid', says James Comey after indictment Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. James Comey speaks onstage during Former FBI Director James Comey In Conversation With MSNBC's Nicolle Wallace at 92NY on 30 May 2023 in New York City. Former FBI Director James Comey has been charged with threatening to kill US President Donald Trump, an indictment that stems from an image he briefly shared on Instagram last year. Former FBI Director James Comey has been charged with threatening to kill US President Donald Trump, an indictment that stems from an image The charges relate to an image Comey briefly shared on Instagram last year that showed seashells forming the numbers "86 47". Comey has insisted he did not know what the numbers on the image meant, but Trump and other administration officials have said the post was a threat against the 47th president. "Eighty-six" is a slang term used to mean "eject" or "remove." The department had earlier brought brought charges against Comey in September, accusing him of lying to Congress over press leaks. A federal judge dismissed that case two months later, saying that the interim federal prosecutor who brought the charges was improperly appointed. , saying that the interim federal prosecutor who brought the charges was improperly appointed. The BBC has contacted Comey's attorney for comment. The White House has referred inquiries to the DOJ. "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," acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Tuesday. Both felony counts against Comey carry a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. US Secret Service agents interviewed Comey last May about the seashell photo. Comey deleted the Instagram post, saying in a follow-up that he "assumed [the sea shells] were a political message". "I didn't realise some folks associate those numbers with violence," he added. "It never occurred to me but I oppose violence of any kind so I took the post down." President Donald Trump, who has long criticised Comey, said of the post that "a child knows what that meant". Comey was indicted by a federal grand jury in late September on charges that he lied to Congress during testimony in September 2020 and obstructed a congressional proceeding. The indictment came days after Trump called on the country's top law enforcement official to more aggressively investigate his political adversaries, including Comey. Watch: "I'm not afraid", says James Comey after first indictment in September 2025 James Comey speaks into phone camera wearing black suit, blue shirt and burgundy tie. Comey pleaded not guilty during a brief court appearance in October before the case was dismissed in November. during a brief court appearance in October before the case was dismissed in November. US District Judge Cameron Currie tossed the indictment against Comey because of prosecutor Lindsey Halligan's "invalid" appointment as US attorney. Halligan, the prosecutor in eastern Virginia who secured the indictments, was not authorised to present the charges to the grand jury, the judge said. Halligan is a former White House aide who had never prosecuted a case before. Halligan, the prosecutor in eastern Virginia who secured the indictments, was not authorised to present the charges to the grand jury, the judge said. Halligan is a former White House aide who had never prosecuted a case before. The judge, however, left the door open for the government to try again. Comey acknowledged that possibility after the ruling, saying he believes Trump "will probably come after me again." Comey was fired by Trump during his first term after leading an investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election. Since then, he has been a frequent target of the two-term US president. Earlier on Tuesday, a separate judge ruled that former federal prosecutor Maurene Comey - James Comey's daughter - can move forward with her case challenging her firing by the Trump administration. Former FBI director James Comey wearing a dark suit, with a dark background Ex-FBI boss James Comey investigated for seashell photo seen as threat to Trump It is the second time this month that the Trump administration has abruptly fired a prosecutor who was appointed by judges. The government could appeal or attempt to retry the cases after a judge threw out the indictments President Donald Trump has repeatedly called for the prosecution of Comey and James, declaring them "guilty as hell". The move comes as the White House pressures Disney-owned ABC to fire Kimmel after he called Melania an "expectant widow". The Army officer charged with using classified information to win $400,000 is also a real estate investor with rave reviews on Airbnb. The remarks, made in February and first reported by the Financial Times, came to light during the King's state visit. The Army officer has been accused of using classified information to win $400,000 on an online prediction market. People living near the man charged with the attempted assassination of Trump say they were shocked to see their neighbour on TV.