Trial of ex-FBI chief Comey over alleged seashell threat moved to October
WASHINGTON, May 26 (Reuters) – A U.S. judge on Tuesday postponed the trial of former FBI Director James Comey to Oct. 21 over a social media post about seashells that prosecutors allege poses a threat to President Donald Trump, according to a court document.
U.S. District Judge Louise Wood Flanagan’s decision came after Comey’s lawyers said they expected to file “numerous motions on constitutional grounds” to dismiss the case before trial. These applications are expected to be made in July.
The trial, scheduled for New Bern, North Carolina, was originally scheduled to begin in July.
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Prosecutors charged Comey with threatening to harm the president and transmitting a threat across state lines. The case stems from Comey’s May 2025 social media post showing seashells arranged to form the numbers “86 47.” Trump is the 47th president of the United States, and “86” is a slang term from the restaurant industry that can mean “ending something” or “getting rid of it.”
(Reporting by Andrew Goudsward, editing by Michelle Nichols)
