Former FBI Director James Comey has ignited a firestorm of controversy after posting an image on Instagram depicting the numbers ‘8647’. The post, which has since been deleted, showed a collection of shells arranged to display the sequence. Comey initially captioned the photo, stating he found the “cool shell formation” during a beach walk.
However, the seemingly innocuous post quickly drew sharp criticism from Republicans and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem. Many interpreted the numbers ‘8647’ as a veiled threat against the President, referencing the slang term ’86’ which is commonly understood to mean “get rid of” or “throw out.”
READ: Supreme Court Weighs Limits On Nationwide Injunctions In Trump Birthright Citizenship Case
The backlash intensified rapidly, with prominent Republican figures like the President’s senior advisor Dan Scavino Jr. and Donald Trump Jr. publicly denouncing the post. Trump Jr. went as far as to claim on X that Comey was “casually calling for my dad to be murdered.”
Faced with mounting criticism, Comey removed the original post and replaced it with a new one. In this follow-up, he stated that he didn’t “realize” the numbers were associated with violent connotations and assumed it was a political message.
“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 of any kind so I took the post down,” Comey explained in his new Instagram post.
Despite Comey’s explanation, the controversy shows no signs of abating.
Scavino Jr. continued his criticism on X, calling the former FBI director a “POS” and alleging that he “knows exactly what he’s doing” by potentially inciting violence against the President, who is currently traveling internationally.
In response to the outcry, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced an investigation into the matter. She stated publicly that Comey had “called for the assassination” of the 47th president and affirmed that both DHS and the Secret Service would investigate the “threat and will respond appropriately.”
READ :Florida Lawmakers Introduce Bill To Restore Tax Relief For Victims Of Crimes And Disasters
FBI Director Kash Patel acknowledged the post on X, stating that the agency is aware of it and is in “communication with the Secret Service and Director Curran,” emphasizing that the Secret Service has primary jurisdiction in such matters, with the FBI prepared to offer full support.
As of now, the President has not publicly commented on Comey’s post.
It is worth noting that during his 2024 campaign, the President faced two reported assassination attempts, one of which resulted in injury to him and the death of a rally attendee.
Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville said on X, “This is a direct THREAT against President Trump, who has already survived two assassination attempts. BEYOND despicable. James Comey MUST face consequences.”
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Connect with us: Follow the Tampa Free Press on Facebook and Twitter for breaking news and updates.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
