Former FBI director James Comey charged with threatening president Trump

Former FBI director James Comey, 65, is expected to surrender to authorities in Alexandria, Virginia, following federal charges filed by a grand jury in North Carolina. The two charges relate to a May 2025 social media post featuring a photograph of seashells arranged as the numbers '86 47', which prosecutors allege constituted a threat against President Donald Trump. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that threats against the president will not be tolerated, with each charge carrying a potential ten-year prison sentence. Comey maintains his innocence, asserting that the post was intended as a political message and that he was unaware of any violent symbolism. He has pledged to defend himself in court and expressed confidence in the federal judiciary. Political critics, such as Senator Dick Durbin, have suggested the prosecution is a politically motivated effort to target the president's opponents. This legal action follows a separate incident involving an armed attack at a press event in Washington earlier in the week. Comey previously served as FBI director until his 2017 dismissal by Trump.