James Comey indicted for second time over '86 47' Instagram post
A federal grand jury in North Carolina indicted former FBI Director James Comey on Tuesday on two counts related to a May 2025 Instagram post showing seashells arranged to spell '86 47.' The Justice Department charged him with making threats against the president and transmitting a threat in interstate commerce, arguing a reasonable recipient would interpret the post as an intent to harm President Trump, the 47th president. Comey deleted the post after it drew attention and said he did not realize '86' could be interpreted as a call to violence.
66
Divergence score
This event sits in the top 1% of divergence this week. 20 outlets covered it, splitting into 20 framing camps across 4 bias groups.
20 camps
4 bias groups
The spectrum · how 20 outlets placed this story
LeftCenterRight
Reason
CNN
Al Jazeera
AP News
PBS NewsHour
Daily Wire
The Federalist
Washington Examiner
BBC
Breitbart
New York Times
ABC News
Axios
The Hill
NPR
Reuters
Politico
National Review
NY Post
HuffPost
Supportive of action
Neutral
Dismissive
Critical
Alarmist
International angle
Widest split · the two outlets furthest apart, and who published first
Furthest apart on this story
CNN
The slippery slope of indicting James Comey for '86 47'
prosecutorial overreach and hypocrisy
Daily Wire
Dems Melt Down Over Comey Indictment
Democratic outrage as overreaction
First to report
- Politicofirst
- CNN+1.8 h
- HuffPost+5.1 h
- Axios+5.5 h
- BBC+5.6 h
- Daily Wire+6.1 h
- The Federalist+7.8 h
- Reason+8.4 h
- NY Post+9.3 h
- Reuters+10.4 h
- New York Times+10.9 h
- Breitbart+13.2 h
By each outlet's earliest publish time in this story. Feeds that index slowly can appear later than they printed.
The split, in one line
Outlets framing the case as political retaliation and weaponized justice dominate the left-leaning coverage, while right-leaning outlets emphasize a left-wing culture of assassination prep; legal-focused reporting centers on significant prosecutorial hurdles and the slippery slope the case creates.
How each outlet covered it
Two readings of the same facts
The left and the right lead with different language. The loaded words each chose are highlighted.
66DIVERGENCE
DOWN THE MIDDLE
“Blanche: Comey indictment 'not an audition' for attorney general job” · Al Jazeera, AP News, PBS NewsHour, BBC, Axios, The Hill, Reuters, Politico
+Hide the full sourcingSee how all 20 outlets put it
LEFT4
CNNCNN The slippery slope of indicting James Comey for '86 47' 136d ago TNew York Times Trump Administration Issues Another Indictment Against Comey 136d ago NPRNPR '8647' got James Comey indicted. What exactly does it mean? 135d ago HPHuffPost Trump's DOJ Indicts Former FBI Director James Comey Over '86 47' Post 136d ago LEFT-CENTER1
ABCABC News Former FBI Director James Comey is expected to self-surrender to authorities today 136d ago CENTER6
APAP News Comey due in court in a Trump threat case that's likely to pose a challenge for Justice Department PBSPBS NewsHour Comey appears in court in Trump threat case that's likely to pose a challenge for Justice Department 135d ago AAxios James Comey indicted by Justice Department for second time: reports 136d ago HThe Hill Blanche: Comey indictment 'not an audition' for attorney general job 135d ago RReuters Trump's DOJ indicts former FBI director James Comey over '86 47' post 136d ago PPolitico James Comey indicted again 137d ago RIGHT6
DWDaily Wire Dems Melt Down Over Comey Indictment 136d ago FThe Federalist James Comey Indicted For '86 47' 'Threat' Against Trump 136d ago WEWashington Examiner Blanche says Trump did not direct DOJ to indict Comey a second time 135d ago BBreitbart DOJ Ups Ante, Issues Arrest Warrant for Former FBI Director James Comey 136d ago NRNational Review 86 the Comey Indictment 135d ago NYPNY Post Defiant James Comey breaks silence on second criminal indictment: 'Let's go' 136d ago 7 tracked claims across 20 outlets
Fact ledger
All7Disputed3Corroborated4
4/20
Disputed
The '86 47' post constituted a true threat to kill or inflict bodily harm on President Trump.
Corroborated
Disputed
6 more tracked claims, including 2 disputedSign up free to see the full ledger