James Comey is facing federal criminal charges and is seeking to dismiss an indictment related to an Instagram photo of seashells arranged to spell “8647.”
In his latest court filing, Comey has alleged that President Donald Trump personally influenced the criminal case stemming from his controversial “8647” seashell post. This accusation, made as part of his effort to have the charges dismissed, has gained traction online, raising questions about the evidence supporting the claim and the precise contents of the court documents.
Comey’s legal team has asserted that the government’s prosecution is politically motivated and constitutes retaliation for protected political speech, thereby violating the First Amendment. Their motion highlights Trump’s public remarks urging then-Attorney General Pam Bondi to prosecute Comey for his May 2025 Instagram post.
According to Comey’s lawyers, Trump made these statements before an interim U.S. attorney secured an indictment. They further noted that a previous case had been dismissed, and they argue that this timeline indicates the prosecution was driven by political motives rather than being evidence-based.
Comey’s attorneys maintain that he never issued threats against Trump or encouraged any violent acts. They stated that he simply photographed a shell formation he encountered during a beach walk and shared it on Instagram with the caption, “Cool shell formation on my beach walk.” The filing also contends that “8647” had become a widely recognized political slogan and should not be interpreted as a threat of violence.
While James Comey did indeed claim that Trump pushed the Department of Justice to prosecute him over the “8647” seashell post, this assertion is presented within a court filing, and no court has yet determined that Trump directed or improperly influenced the prosecution.
To support their argument, the motion references dictionary definitions, political merchandise, protest signs, and earlier slogans directed at other presidents, such as “86 45” and “86 46.” Comey’s attorneys argue that the phrase “86” is commonly used in a political context to signify “get rid of” or “remove,” rather than as an incitement to violence.
The filing further argues that proceeding with this case could have significant implications beyond Comey. His legal team suggests that forcing him to stand trial would chill protected political speech and establish a concerning precedent, potentially allowing future administrations to pursue criminal cases against political adversaries for criticizing the president.
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