Government Lawyers Say Comey's Social Media Post Could Be Read as a Threat

On August 18, 2026, government lawyers asked a federal court in North Carolina to reject former FBI director James Comey's request to dismiss his criminal charges. They argued there is "no serious dispute" that Comey's Instagram photo of seashells spelling "8647" could be read as "Kill President Trump." Comey, indicted in April 2026, calls the post protected speech.