While politicians and the general public alike remind us of the First Amendment, the former head of the FBI is finding out the consequences of what you post online. The White House is taking its security detail especially seriously in the aftermath of the latest potential attempt against President Donald Trump, marking the third time in two years.
After skipping out on White House Correspondents' Dinners during his first term, Donald Trump returned to the Washington Hilton to celebrate the freedom of the press. Unfortunately, the event was interrupted when 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen allegedly rushed a security checkpoint armed with a shotgun, handgun, and knives. It's said that Allen shot a Secret Service officer, while shots were also fired at the assailant, as the likes of Trump, the first lady, and Vice President JD Vance were rushed to safety.
Following an incident with Ryan Wesley Routh at West Palm Beach's Trump International Golf Club and the infamous Butler rally shooting that led to Thomas Matthew Crooks' death, any attempts against the POTUS are an obvious concern.
What did James Comey say about Donald Trump?
Former FBI Director James Comey has found this out the hard way as he's been indicted over a photograph of seashells he shared on Instagram in 2025. According to CNN, the now-deleted Instagram post features the shells arranged as the numbers 86 and 47. 86 can often be referred to as ejecting or tossing something out, while 47 appears to refer to Trump as the 47th President of the United States. Although Comey says he "didn’t realize some folks associate those numbers with violence," many Republicans have claimed it was a blatant threat against the POTUS.
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Comey's defense doesn't wash with FBI Director Kash Patel, who, discussing the indictment at a press conference, says that Comey "knew full well the attention and consequences of making such a post."
Patel continued: "James Comey disgracefully encouraged a threat on President Trump's life and posted it on Instagram for the world to see."
Comey has maintained his innocence in a video posted on his Substack, telling the world: "I’m still innocent. I’m still not afraid. And I still believe in the independent federal judiciary, so let’s go."
This comes after former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed the Secret Service would investigate Comey over an apparent call "for the assassination" of President Trump.
In a statement, Comedy said: "Well, they're back. This time about a picture of sea shells on a North Carolina beach a year ago. And this won't be the end of it, but nothing has changed with me."
What charges does James Comey face?
With Todd Blanche taking over from the ousted Pam Bondi, it's his job to see through the Comey case. Reiterating his stance, he told reporters: "While this case is unique, and this indictment stands out because of the name of the defendant, his alleged conduct is the same kind of conduct that we will never tolerate and that we will always investigate."
Court documents confirm that Comey faces charges for making a threat against the president and transmitting a threat in interstate commerce. Each of these carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
Even though an arrest warrant was issued for Comey, that doesn’t mean an arrest is imminent.
It's said that the Supreme Court has set a high bar for convictions in potential threat cases like this, and according to Eugene Volokh, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University who specializes in First Amendment law, it's unlikely to progress: "This is not going anywhere. This is clearly not a punishable threat."
All of this comes after the Justice Department brought charges against Comey as it accused him of lying to Congress over leaks to the press. With this latest round of legal woes, his attorneys could argue he's being selectively and vindictively prosecuted.