Former FBI Director James Comey said Sunday he has complete faith in the U.S. judicial system as he faces federal charges tied to an Instagram post showing seashells arranged to form the numbers 86 47.
Comey made the remarks during an appearance on NBC News' Meet the Press, where he described the courts as the strongest remaining branch of government. "I have complete faith in our judicial system. It’s the genius of our founders. It’s frankly the only leg of our three-legged stool that is still standing in the U.S. government, but it’s standing tall and straight," he told the program. "It is the guardian of the rule of law, and I believe in it."
The charges stem from an indictment handed down last month accusing Comey of threatening the life of President Donald Trump. Prosecutors point to the seashell photo as evidence that Comey used the number 86 as a coded call to violence. Trump himself addressed the matter in the Oval Office last month, telling reporters that 86 is a mob term for kill him.
Comey has declined to discuss the specifics of the case while it remains active, though he urged Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to stop commenting publicly. "He ought not to be talking about it, I can’t talk about it," Comey said on Meet the Press.
Blanche has maintained that the case involves far more than the single Instagram post. In an earlier Meet the Press interview, he described a body of evidence gathered over roughly 11 months and presented to a grand jury. Blanche added that he was not permitted to share additional details at this stage.
Restaurant industry workers interviewed by NBC News last month offered a different interpretation, saying the phrase 86 it is a standard, non-violent term used in kitchens and bars to mean remove or cancel an item. The conflicting explanations have become central to the dispute over the post’s meaning.
Comey has continued to speak out against what he views as politically motivated actions by the Justice Department. In a recent interview with NBC News’ Hallie Jackson, he warned that targeting critics such as Sen. Adam Schiff or New York Attorney General Letitia James undermines the department’s core mission. "The department cannot target people like an Adam Schiff or Letitia James or Sen. Kelly because the president doesn’t like what they say," he said.
Separately, Comey told MS NOW last week that President Trump has a bottomless desire to gain revenge against those who criticized him. He pledged not to remain silent, stating he would continue speaking about issues he believes are important.
A related indictment against Comey and Letitia James was dismissed last year after a judge ruled the prosecutor had been improperly appointed. Similar cases involving Schiff and Sen. Mark Kelly also failed to move forward. Comey described the earlier dismissed case as clear political payback, saying the president cannot use the Justice Department to retaliate against critics.
"We made a motion to have it dismissed as a vindictive prosecution," Comey said. "The president of the United States cannot use the Justice Department to target people because he wants to retaliate against them. We just can’t operate as a republic if that happens."
The current case continues to draw attention because of its potential impact on perceptions of the Justice Department’s independence. Legal observers note that the dispute over the meaning of 86 highlights how ordinary phrases can be interpreted differently depending on context.
Comey has repeatedly emphasized his trust in the courts to resolve the matter fairly. He has framed the judicial system as the last reliable check within the federal government amid ongoing political tensions.
Proceedings are expected to continue in federal court, with both sides preparing for further arguments over the scope of evidence and the interpretation of the disputed Instagram post.