James Comey Appears in Court After Surrendering Over Alleged Threat to Trump

By Staff, Agencies

Former FBI Director James Comey has turned himself in to authorities in Virginia following charges that he threatened the life of US President Donald Trump through a social media post.

The case centers on a May 2025 Instagram post in which Comey shared an image of seashells arranged to form the numbers “86 47” on a beach in North Carolina. Trump and others interpreted the numbers as a coded threat against the president.

Comey has been charged with willfully making a threat against the president and with issuing an interstate threat. Each count carries a potential sentence of up to ten years in prison.

He appeared in court in Alexandria, Virginia, where he did not enter a plea and was later released. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said it is unclear when Comey’s next court appearance will take place.

Blanche defended the decision to bring charges, stating that each alleged threat is evaluated based on specific circumstances and investigative findings.

Comey previously apologized for the post, saying he was unaware that the numbers could be interpreted as violent and that he opposes violence. He removed the image after it drew criticism.

The case follows an earlier indictment against Comey in September on charges of making false statements to Congress and obstructing proceedings, which was later dismissed by a federal judge who ruled the prosecutor had been improperly appointed.

Some Democrats have criticized the latest charges, with Senator Dick Durbin calling them baseless and politically motivated.

Comey served as FBI director from 2013 until his dismissal by Trump in May 2017. During his tenure, he oversaw major investigations, including those involving Hillary Clinton’s email use and alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election.