Former FBI Director James Comey has found himself at the center of a national controversy after posting an image to Instagram that many within the Trump administration have interpreted as a veiled threat against President Donald Trump. The post, which showed seashells arranged in the sand to form the numbers “86 47,” was deleted shortly after being published, but not before igniting widespread alarm and triggering a formal federal investigation.
While Comey did not offer any explanation for the numbers, observers quickly drew a connection:
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“86” is widely understood in American slang to mean eliminate, eject, or get rid of.
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“47” refers to Trump’s current status as the 47th President of the United States.
To critics, the image suggested a call to “get rid of” or “86” Trump—a phrase that, in today’s politically charged environment, has dire implications, particularly in light of two recent assassination attempts on the former president.
The post prompted swift and sharp condemnation from Trump officials. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated on X (formerly Twitter) that Comey had “just called for the assassination” of President Trump and confirmed that DHS and the Secret Service were actively investigating the matter.
“This is being taken seriously,” Noem said. “We will respond appropriately.”
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich also weighed in, saying the post “can clearly be interpreted as a hit on the sitting President.”
The response wasn’t just political rhetoric—federal agents moved quickly. The Secret Service, responsible for presidential protection, issued a statement confirming that Comey’s post is under formal investigation.
“We vigorously investigate anything that can be taken as a potential threat against our protectees,” said a Secret Service spokesperson. “We take rhetoric like this very seriously.”
FBI Director Kash Patel acknowledged the incident and stated that the FBI is supporting the Secret Service in its investigation.
In a follow-up post, Comey tried to walk back the firestorm:
“I posted earlier a picture of some shells I saw today on a beach walk, which I assumed were a political message,” he wrote. “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.”
The explanation has done little to quell outrage. Critics argue that as a former FBI Director, Comey is well-versed in coded language, symbols, and their interpretations—especially in the context of a former president and current political rival. Whether it was an attempt at political trolling or a badly misjudged attempt at commentary, the optics were unmistakably toxic.
The controversy comes at a time of heightened political tension and real-world violence. Trump has survived two recent assassination attempts—one at a Pennsylvania rally in July 2024, and another at his Florida golf course in September. In this context, any rhetoric that can be construed as incitement is viewed through a much graver lens.
BREAKING: President Trump on James Comey’s ‘8647’ post: “He knew exactly what that meant. A child knows what that meant. If you’re the FBI Director and you don’t know what that meant.. That meant assassination.”
— ALX 🇺🇸 (@alx) May 16, 2025
Comey and Trump have a long and antagonistic history. After Trump fired Comey in 2017, it triggered the Mueller investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Since then, Comey has called Trump “morally unfit” for office and remained a frequent critic.
But this incident may mark a turning point in how former officials’ public statements are scrutinized. While the phrase “eighty-six” has historical slang origins—referring to discarding items or ejecting people from bars—it has also taken on darker meanings in political discourse. In today’s climate, symbolism matters. And this one, intentional or not, set off every alarm.
