EXCLUSIVE: James Comey Claims Trump Personally Pressured DOJ to Prosecute Him Over '86 47' Seashell Post
James Comey and Trump's feud has ramped up.
July 27 2026, Published 6:45 p.m. ET
Former FBI Director James Comey is asking a federal judge to throw out the criminal case stemming from his controversial "86 47" Instagram post, arguing President Trump personally pushed the Justice Department to prosecute one of his most outspoken critics, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
In a newly filed motion to dismiss obtained by Radar, Comey's attorneys accuse the government of targeting him for protected political speech, claiming the prosecution violates the First Amendment and amounts to political retaliation.
Did President Trump Push the DOJ to Prosecute James Comey?
Comey's legal team argues the sequence demonstrates the prosecution was politically motivated.
The filing points directly to Trump, alleging the president publicly pressured then-Attorney General Pam Bondi to bring charges over the May 2025 social media post featuring seashells arranged to spell out "86 47."
According to the defense, Trump publicly urged Bondi to prosecute Comey before a newly appointed interim U.S. attorney secured an indictment — an earlier case the motion notes was later dismissed. Comey's legal team argues the sequence demonstrates the prosecution was politically motivated rather than driven by the facts.
As Radar previously reported, Comey was later indicted over the Instagram image, which prosecutors allege constituted a threat against Trump.
'Politically Motivated' Prosecution
Comey’s latest court filing alleges President Trump publicly urged then-Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue criminal charges against him.
The former FBI director has consistently denied that interpretation, maintaining the post reflected political opposition rather than a call for violence.
His attorneys double down on that argument in the latest filing, insisting Comey never threatened Trump, never encouraged anyone else to commit violence, and merely photographed an anonymous shell arrangement he encountered during a beach walk before captioning it, "Cool shell formation on my beach walk."
The defense also points to Comey's actions immediately after the backlash erupted, arguing they undermine any claim he intended to threaten the president.
Trump is at the center of Comey’s bid to dismiss the criminal case stemming from his '86 47' Instagram post.
According to the motion, Comey removed the Instagram post after learning some people interpreted the phrase differently than he had intended.
The filing further states he publicly declared he opposes violence of any kind, contacted the local police chief about the controversy, and voluntarily sat for interviews with Secret Service agents that same night and again the following day.
Beyond Comey's own conduct, his lawyers argue the phrase "86 47" has become a widely used political slogan, not a threat of violence.
'86 47' Explained
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
The defense claims '86 47' is a common political slogan referring Trump, not a call for violence.
The motion cites dictionary definitions, political merchandise, protest signs and previous slogans aimed at other presidents – including "86 45" and "86 46" – to argue the expression commonly means "get rid of" politically rather than "kill."
The filing ultimately warns that allowing the prosecution to proceed would have consequences extending far beyond Comey himself.
His attorneys argue forcing him to stand trial would chill protected political speech and create a dangerous precedent for future administrations to pursue criminal cases against political opponents based on their criticism of the president.
