Former FBI Director James Comey charged with threatening the US President

A grand jury in North Carolina has indicted 65-year-old former FBI Director James Comey on two counts of threatening the life and physical integrity of US President Donald Trump. The charges follow a May 2025 social media post by Comey featuring an image of seashells arranged as the numbers '86 47,' which authorities interpreted as a coded threat. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that each count carries a potential penalty of up to ten years in prison. Comey has denied the allegations, maintaining his innocence and expressing trust in the independence of the federal judiciary. He explained that he did not intend the numbers as a violent symbol and deleted the post upon learning of the concerns. The indictment comes shortly after an unrelated attempted assassination at a Washington press event. Political critics, including Senator Dick Durbin, have alleged that the prosecution is a politically motivated effort to satisfy the President's personal interests.