No Kidding… DOJ Says There’s ‘No Serious Dispute’ Fired FBI Chief Comey’s Seashell Post Could Be Read as Trump Threat

Of course, it was.

The Justice Department defended its criminal prosecution of former FBI Director James Comey in court filings Tuesday, arguing there is “no serious dispute” that his Instagram photo of seashells arranged to read “86 47” could be understood as a threat against President Donald Trump, according to reports from the Associated Press and The Hill.

Prosecutors in the Eastern District of North Carolina urged a judge not to dismiss the case, saying a jury — not the court — should decide whether the May 2025 post constituted a “true threat” against the president’s life, The Hill reported. Trump is the 47th president.

According to The Hill, the government’s filing stated:

“The issue presented is who should answer the ‘true threats’ question. … Comey seeks to take the question away from the jury before the government presents any evidence (or even allegations setting forth its theory of the case. No authority supports his attempt to shortcircuit these proceedings.”

The filings represent the government’s most detailed explanation to date of its indictment, the Associated Press reported. They came in response to defense motions seeking dismissal on grounds that include vindictive prosecution and that the post did not amount to a true threat.

The government also invoked Comey’s crime novel “FDR Drive,” released days after the post, to bolster its case, according to NBC News. The filings describe the book as centering on a “far-right wing media personality” whose foes are killed after “he singled out his enemies by name and suggested ‘something should be done’ about them.”

According to NBC News, the government’s filing stated:

“On May 15, 2025, a charismatic leader named James Comey, through the wonder of the internet, posted a coded message to his followers meaning ‘kill’ or ‘get rid of’ (a euphemism for ‘kill’) President Trump.”

Prosecutors also questioned Comey’s account that he found the seashells already arranged on a North Carolina beach, suggesting the post was an effort to generate attention for the forthcoming novel, the Associated Press reported.

Last week, Paul Sperry revealed that there is evidence that Jim Comey’s wife Patrice sent him a Google screenshot of a non-violent definition of the term “86” two minutes before Comey posted his infamous rock picture of “86-47” on Instagram.

Paul Sperry: BREAKING: An FBI affidavit for a search warrant in the James Comey presidential threat case reveals his wife Patrice Comey sent him a Google screenshot of a nonviolent definition of the term “86” two (2) minutes before Comey posted the alleged threat against President Trump, indicating some forethought his posting could be construed as a threat.”

BREAKING: An FBI affidavit for a search warrant in the James Comey presidential threat case reveals his wife Patrice Comey sent him a Google screenshot of a nonviolent definition of the term “86” two (2) minutes before Comey posted the alleged threat against President Trump,…

— Paul Sperry (@paulsperry_) August 15, 2026

James Comey posted his threatening ‘8647’ Instagram post in May 2025.

“Cool shell formation on my beach walk,” Comey said.

“86 47” is a threat to ‘eliminate/kill’ the 47th president.

Earlier this year, a grand jury from the Eastern District of North Carolina indicted him on two felony counts:

COUNT ONE: Knowingly and willfully make a threat to take the life of, and to inflict bodily harm upon, the President of the United States;

COUNT TWO: knowingly and willfully did transmit in interstate and foreign commerce a communication that contained a threat to kill the President, Donald J. Trump

Comey is facing up to 20 years in prison.