Acting AG Todd Blanche Says Comey Indictment Based on Far More Than Instagram “Seashell” Post (Video)

WASHINGTON — Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday that the federal indictment of former FBI Director James Comey is not based solely on a single Instagram post featuring seashells arranged to spell “86 47,” but rests on a broader body of evidence collected over nearly a year of investigation.

Appearing on NBC’s Meet the Press, Blanche told host Kristen Welker: “Rest assured that it’s not just the Instagram post that leads somebody to get indicted.” He added that the case involved “a body of evidence that prosecutors collected over the series of about 11 months,” including witnesses, documents, and other materials presented to the grand jury. Blanche declined to disclose additional details, stating they would be revealed at a public trial.

The indictment, returned last week in the Eastern District of North Carolina, charges Comey with knowingly and willfully making a threat against the president and transmitting that threat in interstate commerce. It centers on a May 2025 Instagram post in which Comey photographed seashells on a North Carolina beach arranged to read “86 47.” Prosecutors interpreted “86” as slang for “get rid of” or “kill” and “47” as referring to President Trump as the 47th president.

Comey deleted the post shortly after it appeared and later explained that he had simply found the shells while walking and did not intend any threat. He has denied any intent to incite violence.

This marks Comey’s second federal indictment under the current administration. A previous case involving allegations of false statements and obstruction related to congressional testimony was dismissed on procedural grounds.

Blanche emphasized that career assistant U.S. attorneys, FBI agents, and Secret Service investigators conducted the probe, and that the decision to indict was not made lightly or based on a single social media post. He noted that similar “86 47” messages appear frequently online but said the government gathered substantial additional evidence specific to Comey.