Donald Trump has finally spoken out following the shocking indictment of former FBI Director James Comey, who faces charges for allegedly making threats against the President.
Comey turned himself in to authorities on Wednesday morning, following accusations that he had threatened Trump in a past Instagram post.
The post, dated May 15, 2025, featured seashells arranged to spell out the numbers ‘8647,’ which prosecutors argue constitutes a threat to the President’s life.
“If anyone is familiar with crime lingo, they understand that ’86’ is a mob term meaning ‘kill him,'” Trump stated from the Oval Office on Wednesday afternoon, addressing the allegations for the first time.
“The mob uses ’86’ to mean eliminating someone. They say ’86 that guy’… They have another phrase for it, but it’s a term for murder,” Trump elaborated.
When questioned about whether the post made him fear for his safety, Trump responded, “Probably, I don’t know.”
The phrase 86 generally refers to removing or getting rid of. 47 refers to Trump being the 47th President. Past postings of the numerals by other political figures are now being resurfaced in light of the Comey case.
For instance, prominent conservative commentator Jack Posobiec is being confronted about his post ‘8646’ in January of 2022.
When asked if he felt threatened by ex-FBI Director James Comey’s ‘8647’ post, Trump responded ‘probably, I don’t know’
Former FBI Director James Comey surrendered to law enforcement on Wednesday after being indicted on Tuesday for threatening the President and transmitting a threat in interstate commerce. The maximum sentence for the two counts combined is 10 years in prison
The number 86 is slang for removing or getting rid of something, though it can also mean to kill. Trump is the 47th President
Comey surrendered on Wednesday at a federal courthouse in the Eastern District of Virginia, where he was taken into custody ahead of his initial court appearance.
He faces two federal charges: threatening the President and transmitting a threat in interstate commerce.
The two counts combined carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
Comey declared his innocence in a video message on Substack. ‘I’m still innocent, I’m still not afraid, and I still believe in the independent federal judiciary, so let’s go,’ he said.
The ex-FBI Director posted the photo with the caption: ‘Cool shell formation on my beach walk.’ He later deleted the post on the same day he published it and apologized.
‘People like Comey have created tremendous danger, I think, for politicians and others,’ Trump said on Wednesday.
‘Comey is a dirty guy. He’s a very dirty guy. He cheated on the elections.’
The Justice Department says Comey ‘knowingly and willfully’ made threats against the President’s life and allegedly transmitted a threat via social media.
‘You cannot threaten to kill the President of the United States. Full stop,’ said Blanche on Tuesday at a press conference announcing the charges.
Comey was seen leaving the Virginia courthouse in the back of a car
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said at a Tuesday press conference on the charges against Comey, ‘You cannot threaten to kill the President of the United States. Full stop’
Trump’s allies claimed the post called for Trump’s assassination. Then-homeland security secretary Kristi Noem said the Secret Service would investigate the former FBI director
This is the second indictment brought by the DOJ against Comey as Trump and his allies seek to prosecute the ‘dirty cop.’
Comey was indicted by a federal grand jury in Virginia last fall on two counts: making a false statement to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding, related to his 2020 Senate Judiciary Committee testimony.
A federal judge dismissed the indictment in November, ruling that the prosecutor who brought the case, Lindsey Halligan, had been unlawfully appointed.
Blanche’s push to indict him comes a month after Trump fired his predecessor, Pam Bondi, for failing to pursue his perceived enemies aggressively enough.
Trump accidentally posted a message on Truth Social in September, pressuring Bondi to prosecute his political enemies, including Comey.
