Verdict: True.

A federal grand jury indicted former FBI Director James Comey on April 28, 2026. The charges accuse him of threatening the life of President Donald Trump.

What the indictment says

The two-count indictment includes:

• Knowingly and willfully making a threat to take the life of, or inflict bodily harm upon, the President of the United States (18 U.S.C. § 871).
• Transmitting a threat in interstate commerce.

These charges stem from an Instagram post Comey made on May 15, 2025. He shared a photo of seashells arranged on a beach to form the numbers “86 47”. Prosecutors argue that a reasonable person familiar with the context would interpret “86 47” as a call to assassinate or harm Trump (the 47th president), since “86” is slang for “to cancel,” “remove,” or “eliminate.”

The post originated from a beach in the Eastern District of North Carolina, which is why the case is filed there.

Comey’s response

Comey strongly denies the allegations. He says he is innocent and that the post was simply a picture of a “cool shell formation” during a beach walk. He claims he did not intend any threat and was unaware that “86 47” could be read as a violent message. Comey has called the prosecution politically motivated.

Comey appeared in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, on April 29, 2026. He was released without conditions after a brief hearing.

Important clarifications

True core fact: James Comey has indeed been indicted for allegedly threatening Trump’s life. The indictment is official and was announced by the Department of Justice.

Highly controversial interpretation: The case rests on the meaning of the seashell photo. Many legal experts and critics (including the ACLU) argue this stretches the definition of a “true threat”. They also claim that it raises serious First Amendment concerns. Similar cases often face challenges because prosecutors must prove the person intended a serious threat, not political speech or satire.

Context: This is the second time the Trump administration has brought charges against Comey. The indictment comes amid heightened political tensions between Trump and his longtime critic.

No evidence of any actual plot or further actions by Comey has been publicly presented – the case centers entirely on the single social media post.