Former FBI director James Comey has been formally charged with threatening the life of former President Donald Trump, according to officials. The indictment follows a grand jury decision in North Carolina and relates to an Instagram post Comey made in May of the previous year. The post featured the numbers "86 47" arranged using seashells. At the time, Trump suggested in a Fox News interview that these numbers were a coded threat, with "86" interpreted as slang for "kill" and "47" as a reference to the president.
The case marks a continuation of legal challenges faced by Comey, who had a previous case dismissed five months earlier. The situation highlights ongoing tensions between Comey and Trump, with the indictment focusing on alleged threats made through social media. The development has drawn attention due to Comey’s high-profile role as a former FBI chief and his vocal criticism of Trump during and after the presidency.