Former FBI Director James Comey has surrendered himself following the grand indictment against him on charges related to a 2025 social media post in which he allegedly threatened the life of President Donald Trump. 

Comey said in a video following the indictment on Tuesday, “well, they’re back. This time about a picture of seashells on a North Carolina beach a year ago. And this won’t be the end of it. But nothing has changed with me, I’m still innocent, I’m still not afraid, and I still believe in the independent federal judiciary, so let’s go.”

In May of 2025, Comey posted an image to social media in which shells were arranged to make out the phrase “86 47.” The term “86” is understood in slang to mean to eliminate or get rid of something—sometimes with violent connotations, according to Merriam Webster, while 47 is a reference to Trump, who is currently the 47th president of the United States. 

In a press conference on Tuesday, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said, “I think it’s fair to say that threatening the life of anybody is dangerous, and potentially a crime. Threatening the life of the President of the United States will never be tolerated by the Department of Justice.” He said the charges each carry a maximum prison sentence of 10 years.