(LifeSiteNews) — A grand jury in the Eastern District of North Carolina indicted former FBI Director James Comey for a photo he posted on social media last year that was widely interpreted to be a not-so-thinly-veiled call for the murder of President Donald Trump.
An arrest warrant was issued for Comey, and he is expected to surrender to law enforcement at federal court in the Eastern District of Virginia on Wednesday, according to CNN.
“While this case is unique, and this indictment stands out because of the name of the defendant, his alleged conduct is the same kind of conduct that we will never tolerate and that we will always investigate,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said at a press conference on Tuesday.
President Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., quickly posted a picture of Comey’s offensive post last year and said, “Just James Comey (casually) calling for my dad to be murdered.”
“This is who the Dem-Media worships,” the president’s son said. “Demented!!!!”
Just James Comey causally calling for my dad to be murdered.
This is who the Dem-Media worships. Demented!!!! pic.twitter.com/4LUK6crHAT
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) May 15, 2025
Comey had posted a picture of shells forming the numbers “86 47,” captioning it: “Cool shell formation on my beach walk.” People viewing the post knew instantly the meaning of the message that Comey was broadcasting. “86” is well known within law enforcement circles as code for “kill” or “murder,” and “47” is a reference to President Trump, the nation’s 47th president.
Comey deleted the post and offered a less than credible explanation, claiming that he “didn’t realize some folks associate those numbers with violence.”
Members of the Trump administration’s Department of Justice and law enforcement agencies as well as members of Congress were quick to condemn Comey’s action.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said at the time that Comey’s explanation absolving himself of ill intent toward the president was “a ridiculous and insane statement to make, certainly within this context, but especially coming from a guy who’s the former director of the FBI, a guy who spent most of his career prosecuting mobsters and gangsters, people who know and execute other humans and use this exact lingo of 86.”
“The dangerousness of this cannot be underestimated,” Gabbard told Fox News’ Jesse Watters in an interview.
“James Comey, in my view, should be held accountable and put behind bars for this,” Gabbard said.
“This isn’t a game the deep state is playing,” said General Mike Flynn, a close confident of President Trump who himself experienced Comey’s underhanded tactics in the early days of Trump’s first administration. “They’re in it to get total control over our lives, to destroy everything good and decent in our country and to act as though we’re too stupid to realize what they’re up to.”
“DEEP STATE … WE THE PEOPLE GOT YOUR NUMBER AND WE’RE DONE WITH YOUR NONSENSE!” Flynn declared in all caps.
“I’ve said many times, arrogance will be your downfall and that is exactly what is happening,” Flynn added. “May GOD have mercy on your souls.”
This isn’t a game the deep state is playing. They’re in it to get total control over our lives, to destroy everything good and decent in our country and to act as though we’re too stupid to realize what they’re up to.
DEEP STATE … WE THE PEOPLE GOT YOUR NUMBER AND WE’RE DONE… https://t.co/id97S8Sm7C
— General Mike Flynn (@GenFlynn) May 16, 2025