Former FBI Director James Comey has ignited a significant uproar within the Trump administration after he briefly shared a photo on Instagram that federal officials allege could be interpreted as a call for violence against President Trump. Comey, a longstanding opponent of Trump, has since pushed back against these claims. The image, which depicted seashells arranged in the sand to form the numbers "86 47," was captured in screenshots disseminated by officials from the Trump administration.
While Comey did not clarify the intended meaning of the post, administration officials and some of his supporters interpreted the numbers as a reference to Mr. Trump’s status as the 47th president and the slang term "eighty-six," which often means to eject or remove someone. Following the backlash, Comey decided to delete the image from his account. In a follow-up Instagram post, he explained, “Earlier, I posted 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.”
In response to the incident, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem publicly stated on social media platform X that the matter is currently under investigation. She accused Comey of implying a call for the assassination of Mr. Trump, asserting that her agency, along with the Secret Service, is looking into this alleged threat and will take appropriate action.
Current FBI Director Kash Patel also weighed in, stating, “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 primary jurisdiction is with the Secret Service on these matters, and we, the FBI, will provide all necessary support.”
A spokesperson for the Secret Service emphasized the organization’s commitment to investigating any potential threats against its protectees. They stated, “We are aware of the social media posts by the former FBI Director and we take rhetoric like this very seriously. Beyond that, we do not comment on protective intelligence matters.” Meanwhile, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich echoed these sentiments in his own social media post, indicating that Comey’s message could be interpreted as a direct threat against the sitting President of the United States, emphasizing the seriousness of the situation.
James Comey and Donald Trump have had a contentious relationship for years. Comey served as FBI director from 2013 until his dismissal by Trump in 2017 during the president's first term. This firing was pivotal, ultimately leading to Robert Mueller’s special counsel investigation into allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and potential coordination between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin. Trump has consistently labeled these allegations as a hoax.
Following his ousting, Comey has been a vocal critic of Trump, describing him as morally unfit to serve as president in a 2018 interview. Notably, Trump faced two assassination attempts during his recent presidential campaign, including a July 13 rally in Pennsylvania where a gunman opened fire, narrowly missing him. Additionally, on September 14, a man was arrested for allegedly attempting to assassinate Trump at his golf course in West Palm Beach.
The precise meaning of Comey’s Instagram post remains ambiguous. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the term "to eighty-six" means to throw out or get rid of something. This slang originated in the 1930s at soda counters, denoting that an item was sold out. The term can also apply to individuals; for instance, to eighty-six an inebriated bar patron means to kick them out or refuse them service.
As this situation develops, it underscores the ongoing tensions within U.S. politics, especially between influential figures like Comey and Trump. The implications of social media posts in today’s political climate continue to raise questions about freedom of expression versus perceived threats.
