Bill Maher Mocks Trump Team Over Former FBI James Comey's '86 47' Seashell Panic: 'They’re Going a Little Crazy There in Washington'
Bill Maher mocked the Trump administration's reaction to James Comey's '86 47' seashell post.
May 2 2026, Published 11:35 a.m. ET
Comedian Bill Maher took aim at the Trump administration’s latest controversy, ridiculing claims that a cryptic seashell display was a threat against President Donald Trump, Breaking Celebrity News can reveal.
During a fiery monologue on Real Time with Bill Maher, Maher dismissed the uproar as overblown, joking that officials in Washington were "going a little crazy."
Seashells Spark Political Firestorm
The comedian joked officials were 'going a little crazy' over claims the seashells signaled a threat against Donald Trump.
The bizarre controversy stems from a social media post by former FBI director James Comey, which featured seashells arranged to spell out "86 47," per Mediaite.
Critics within Trump's orbit interpreted the numbers as a coded threat — with "86" slang for "get rid of" and "47" referencing Trump's current presidential number — prompting outrage and calls for investigation.
Maher, however, made it clear he wasn’t buying into the alarm.
"They're trying to put the former head of the FBI in jail for posting seashells," he quipped, before sarcastically dubbing Comey the "Manchurian beachcomber."
"Yeah, they’re going a little crazy there in Washington," he added.
'I'm Not Afraid'
Maher sarcastically dubbed Comey the 'Manchurian beachcomber' as he ridiculed the controversy.
Comey responded to the administration's concern, posting a video to Instagram saying, "Well, they're back this time about a picture of seashells on a North Carolina beach a year ago, and this won't be the end of it, but nothing has changed with me. I'm still innocent. I'm still not afraid, and I still believe in the independent federal judiciary. So let's go. But it's really important. That all of us remember, this is not who we are as a country." He added: "This is not how the Department of Justice is supposed to be. And the good news is we get closer every day to restoring those values. Keep the faith."
Maher Jokes About Disturbing Details
He also referenced the White House Correspondents' Dinner scare, calling it the 'age of Gen Z assassins.'
Maher didn't hold back as he addressed the White House Correspondents' Dinner scare, mixing unease with biting humor.
"We are officially now... in the age of Gen Z assassins," he said, before pointing to the surreal behavior of the suspect.
"Before he did it, he took a selfie. No, I'm not making that up. His manifesto had jokes. Jokes. And it was on recycled paper," Maher joked.
He added: "I mean, we're in a very different era."
'No One Ever Kills at the Correspondents' Dinner'
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Maher highlighted reports the suspect allegedly took a selfie and wrote a manifesto with jokes before the incident.
The comedian continued, recalling the confusion in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
"At the time, what happened, nobody knew... He had a shotgun... he had hunting knives... either it was a far-left activist... or a right-winger heading out to dinner," Maher said.
Despite the seriousness, he pivoted back to comedy, telling the audience: "I am not surprised that it didn't work... because, trust me from a comic, no one ever kills at the Correspondents' Dinner. I've been there."
Maher also took a swipe at Trump officials in the room, adding: "As soon as it started, everyone went under the table — where a lot of the Trump administration was anyway."
