Former FBI Director James Comey is currently facing scrutiny after posting a controversial image on his Instagram account that some interpret as an implication that President Donald Trump "should be assassinated." The post, uploaded on Thursday afternoon, featured an array of shells arranged to spell out the numbers "86 47," a combination that has raised alarm among many.
The numbers "86" and "47" have been linked to discussions surrounding the assassination of President Trump. In certain slang contexts, "86" refers to the act of killing or murdering someone, derived from the dimensions of a standard grave, which is typically eight feet long and six feet deep. The number "47" signifies that Trump is the 47th president, and some anti-Trump groups have used these two numbers together to suggest lethal intentions.
Shortly after the post went live, Kristi Noem, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, expressed her outrage on social media platform X. She stated, "Disgraced former FBI Director James Comey just called for the assassination of President Trump. DHS and Secret Service is investigating this threat and will respond appropriately." This prompted a swift reaction from MAGA loyalists, further intensifying the scrutiny on Comey.
Despite deleting the post shortly after its upload, Comey's image had already been widely circulated among right-wing accounts, prompting Donald Trump Jr. to voice his shock. He remarked, "Just James Comey casually calling for my dad to be murdered. This is who the Dem-Media worships. Demented!"
Trump's ally and newly appointed FBI chief Kash Patel also addressed the situation, confirming that they are in communication with the Secret Service regarding the matter. Patel stated, "We are aware of the recent social media post by former FBI Director James Comey, directed at President Trump. Primary jurisdiction is with the Secret Service on these matters and we, the FBI, will provide all necessary support."
In a statement issued later that evening, Comey maintained that the post was an unintentional mistake. "I posted a picture of some shells I saw today on a beach walk, which I assumed were a political message," he explained. "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."
Supporters of Comey argue that the slang "86" could simply mean to "throw out," "veto," or "discard," suggesting that the message was a call for Trump to be impeached rather than harmed. However, the implications of Comey's post have stirred significant controversy, particularly given Trump's history with assassination attempts.
During Trump's re-election campaign, he narrowly escaped an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a bullet grazed his ear. Additionally, authorities thwarted an assassination plot funded by Iran just months later. Amid these serious threats, Taylor Budowich, White House Deputy Chief of Staff, emphasized the gravity of Comey's post, stating, "While President Trump is currently on an international trip to the Middle East, the former FBI Director puts out what can clearly be interpreted as 'a hit' on the sitting President of the United States." This statement underscores the heightened concern surrounding Comey's message.
Right-wing commentator Meghan McCain also weighed in, asserting that Comey's post should be viewed as a threat against President Trump. She remarked, "James Comey should at the very least get a visit from the Secret Service. Also, is everyone mentally ill?" As of Thursday night, "Comey" became the top trending topic on X, with over 213,000 recent posts discussing the controversy.
James Comey served as the director of the FBI from 2013 until his dismissal by Trump in 2017. In the aftermath of his termination, Comey leaked memos from a private meeting with Trump to the press, further complicating their relationship. Following his firing, Comey sent an email to his staff, stating, "I have long believed that a president can fire an FBI director for any reason, or for no reason at all." His recent actions have reignited the debate over his conduct and intentions.
This is a developing story, and more updates will follow as the investigation progresses.
