Comey charged with threatening Trump's life in Instagram post

Former FBI Director James Comey has been charged with threatening the life of US President Donald Trump, a formal accusation that stems from an image he briefly shared on social media.

The image posted on Instagram last year showed seashells forming the numbers "86 47". "Eighty-six" is a slang term used to mean "eject" or "remove".

Comey has insisted he did not know what the numbers on the image meant, but Trump and other administration officials have said the post was a threat against the 47th president.

Responding to the charges on Tuesday, Comey said: "I'm still innocent, I'm still not afraid, and I still believe in the independent federal judiciary."