Former FBI Director James Comey surrendered to US authorities on Wednesday after being charged over social media posts that prosecutors allege contained threats against President Donald Trump.Comey arrived at the US Attorney’s office in Alexandria, Virginia, where he was taken into custody before appearing in court, CNN reported. He faces two charges, which include threatening the life of the President and sending threats across the state.Comey’s preliminary hearing took place in a federal court in Alexandria and lasted less than 10 minutes. He was wearing a dark suit and did not address the court, entering and exiting through a side entrance normally used by defendants.The judge allowed him to leave without any conditions on his release. “I don’t understand why they would be required this time,” the judge said during the hearing.The indictment stems from a post Comey made on Instagram last May, which showed seashells arranged to form the number ’86 47′, with the caption: ‘Making spectacular seashells on my beach walk.’Prosecutors argue that the message could reasonably be construed as a threat to Trump. The number ’86’ is a slang term that can mean ‘to get rid of’ someone, while ’47’ is seen as a reference to Trump as the 47th President of the United States.Comey removed the post shortly after publishing it and said it was not intended to be threatening. He said he saw it as a political message and was unaware of any violent connotations.In a video message posted a day before the surrender, Comey said he was ‘still innocent’ and planned to fight the charges in court.Comey’s legal team indicated that they would challenge the case, arguing that the Justice Department is engaging in selective and vindictive prosecution.The charges were approved by a federal grand jury in North Carolina and are the second criminal case brought against Comey during Trump’s current administration. A previous case accusing him of lying to Congress was dismissed by a federal judge.The case comes amid heightened political tensions, with Trump previously demanding legal action against his alleged opponents. Legal experts are divided on the strength of the case. Some have questioned whether the posts meet the legal threshold for criminal threat, particularly under First Amendment protections.The case is expected to proceed to North Carolina, where further hearings will determine the next steps in the prosecution.