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Former FBI Director James Comey has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly threatening the life of President Donald Trump.
The charges centre on a social media post from last year featuring a pattern of seashells forming the numbers “86 47.”
Prosecutors argue the image was a coded intent to harm the 47th president, interpreting “86” as slang for assassination.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that such threats against the presidency will not be tolerated, with Comey now facing two felony counts that each carry a maximum 10-year prison sentence.
Comey previously apologised for the post, claiming he was unaware of any violent connotations and removed the image once the association was raised.
This indictment follows a previous legal battle in November, where charges against Comey for false statements were dismissed after a judge ruled the appointment of the prosecuting attorney was unlawful.
The new legal action comes amid a heightened security climate, just days after authorities foiled a separate assassination attempt against the president in Washington.
Critics of the administration, including Senator Dick Durbin, have condemned the indictment as a “baseless” act of political retribution.
They argue the move reflects a broader trend of the Justice Department targeting the president’s vocal opponents, such as John Bolton and Letitia James.
As the case moves forward, it adds to a series of legal conflicts involving the Comey family, occurring on the same day a judge allowed a lawsuit from Comey’s daughter, alleging her own politically motivated firing, to proceed.
