A photo of a beach usually doesn’t raise eyebrows. However, the Trump Administration is taking issue with a recent Instagram post by former FBI Director James Comey.
Comey, appointed by Obama and dismissed by Trump in 2017, is under investigation by federal authorities. This follows his posting of a beach photo where seashells seemed to spell out “86 47.” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem claimed the now-deleted post was a veiled threat to assassinate the President.
What does 86 mean?
According to , “eighty-six” is a slang term that generally means “to throw out,” “to get rid of,” or “to refuse service to.” The dictionary also notes its rare, more recent usage meaning “to kill.” “Forty-seven” is believed to refer to Trump, the 47th U.S. President.
Comey captioned the Instagram post, “Cool shell formation on my beach walk.” He later explained in a follow-up post, “I posted earlier a picture of some shells I saw today on a beach walk, which I assumed were a political message. I didn’t realize some folks associate those numbers with violence. It never occurred to me but I oppose violence of any kind so I took the post down.”
What is Comey’s relationship with Trump?
Comey headed the FBI investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 election and Hillary Clinton’s email use as Secretary of State. While many Democrats blamed Comey for Clinton’s loss, they criticized Trump’s decision to fire him less than halfway through his intended 10-year term. Republicans had also criticized Comey’s handling of the investigations, neither of which led to charges against Clinton or Trump.
Since then, Comey has been a vocal critic of Trump and an author. In 2018, he released a memoir, A Higher Loyalty, and his new crime novel, FDR Drive, is being published Tuesday.
What is Comey being investigated for now?
A Secret Service spokesperson told CNN, “The Secret Service rigorously investigates anything that could be interpreted as a potential threat against those we protect. We take this responsibility very seriously and are aware of the social media posts in question.”
FBI director Kash Patel posted on X, “We are aware of the recent tweet by former FBI Director James Comey, directed at President Trump. We are in communication with the Secret Service and Director [Sean] Curran. The Secret Service has primary jurisdiction in these matters, and the FBI will provide all necessary support.”
Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) stated he sent a letter to Curran and Patel requesting an immediate investigation into Comey. Ogles argues the post constitutes a threat against the President and is a form of interstate communication containing threats, both federal law violations.
“The Left spent years claiming Republicans were guilty of ‘stochastic terrorism’ for expressing strong political opinions. Now, a former FBI Director appears to openly endorse assassinating the President—and they say nothing,” Ogles wrote on X. “If Comey broke the law, he shouldn’t get a pass. He should be in handcuffs.”
What have Trump and other Republicans said?
Numerous Republicans, including members of the Trump Administration, have condemned Comey’s post. However, Trump himself has not yet commented. (Trump .)
Donald Trump Jr. posted on X, “Just James Comey causally calling for my dad to be murdered. This is who the Dem-Media worships. Demented!!!!”
James Blair, White House deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs, posted on X, “This is a Clarion Call from Jim Comey to terrorists & hostile regimes to kill the President of the United States as he travels in the Middle East.” Trump recently visited Saudi Arabia and Qatar and is currently in the United Arab Emirates, concluding his first major trip of his second term.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard stated on Fox News that she doubts Comey was unaware of the violent interpretation of “86 47.” “James Comey in my view should be held accountable and put behind bars for this,” Gabbard said.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) posted on X, “How many times are Democrats going to try to assassinate President Trump???” Trump, who faced two in 2024, and other Republicans have accused Democrats and their of past attempts on his life without providing evidence. Trump has also faced criticism for making public comments with .
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