Comey’s Shell Photo Revives Legal Clash with Trump Administration

TL;DR: James Comey’s 2025 Instagram image of seashells spelling “86 47” has sparked a new legal battle with the Trump administration, following a dismissed indictment and the removal of the president’s interim Virginia U.S. attorney.

Context In 2025, former FBI director James Comey posted a photo of seashells arranged to read “86 47.” The numbers echo restaurant slang “86,” meaning to remove or cancel, and “47,” the numeric order of Donald Trump’s presidency. Trump dismissed Comey in 2017 after the former director’s investigation into Russian interference, and in 2025 he terminated the prosecutor who had been handling Comey’s case—who is also Comey’s daughter.

Key Facts - Comey’s Instagram post displayed the numbers 86 and 47 formed by shells, a visual that many interpret as a jab at the former president. - Trump fired Comey in May 2017 and, two years later, removed Comey’s daughter, who served as a federal prosecutor, in 2025. - The administration’s first indictment of Comey was dismissed by a Virginia court, prompting the removal of Trump’s interim U.S. attorney for the state.

What It Means The shell image has prompted prosecutors to reopen a separate legal avenue, alleging that the administration used its authority to target Comey and his family. The prior dismissal in Virginia highlighted procedural flaws that led to the interim attorney’s ouster, suggesting internal discord within the Justice Department. Legal analysts note that the new filing could test the limits of executive power to pursue personal vendettas through federal prosecutions.

Watch for court filings in the coming weeks that will reveal whether the revived case proceeds or faces another procedural hurdle, and monitor any further personnel changes in the Justice Department that could signal the administration’s strategy.