WASHINGTON, May 26 (Reuters) – A U.S. judge on Tuesday pushed back to October 21 the trial of former FBI Director James Comey over a social media post of seashells that prosecutors allege was a threat to President Donald Trump, according to a court document.
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The decision by U.S. District Judge Louise Wood Flanagan came after Comey’s lawyers said they expected to file “multiple motions on constitutional grounds” seeking to have the case thrown out before a trial. Those filings are due to be submitted in July.
The trial, which is scheduled to take place in New Bern, North Carolina, had initially been set to begin in July.
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Prosecutors have charged Comey with threatening harm to the president and transmitting a threat across state lines. The case arises from a May 2025 social media post by Comey showing seashells arranged to form the numbers “86 47.” Trump is the 47th U.S. president and “86” is a slang term originating in the restaurant industry that can mean to run out of something or to “get rid of.”
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(Reporting by Andrew Goudsward, editing by Michelle Nichols )
Copyright 2026 Thomson Reuters.
