In a shocking turn of events, a now-deleted Instagram post by former FBI Director James Comey has ignited a firestorm of controversy, with critics accusing him of subtly calling for the assassination of United States President Donald Trump. The cryptic post, featuring seashells arranged to form the numbers “8647,” has drawn intense scrutiny from Trump allies, Republican lawmakers, and social media users, prompting investigations by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Secret Service. But what does “8647” mean, and was it truly a veiled threat? Let’s dive into the details of this unfolding political drama and its implications.
The Controversial Post: What Happened?
On Thursday, May 15, 2025, James Comey, who served as FBI Director under President Barack Obama before being fired by Trump in 2017, shared an Instagram post captioned, “Cool shell formation on my beach walk.” The image showed seashells arranged on a beach to spell out “8647.” While seemingly innocuous, the post quickly went viral, with Trump supporters interpreting it as a coded call to “86” (slang for “get rid of” or, in some contexts, “kill”) the 47th president—Donald Trump, who is currently serving his second term.
The backlash was swift and fierce. Donald Trump Jr. took to X, writing, “Just James Comey causally [sic] calling for my dad to be murdered. This is who the Dem-Media worships. Demented!!!!”. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem echoed the sentiment, posting on X, “Disgraced former FBI Director James Comey just called for the assassination of
@POTUS Trump,” and confirmed that DHS and the Secret Service were investigating the post as a potential threat. Other prominent figures, including Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino, condemned the post, with Gabbard even suggesting Comey should be “put behind bars” for what she described as “issuing a call to assassinate” Trump.
Why This Matters: A Climate of Fear and Suspicion
The controversy comes at a time of heightened concern for Trump’s safety. In July 2024, Trump survived an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, where a bystander was killed. A second attempt occurred in September 2024 at Trump International Golf Club in Florida, though the suspect was apprehended before any shots were fired. These incidents have made any perceived threats against the president particularly sensitive, amplifying the reaction to Comey’s post.
Moreover, the episode highlights the power of social media to inflame political tensions. A single image, posted with a seemingly harmless caption, has led to federal investigations, calls for imprisonment, and a renewed focus on the fraught relationship between Comey and Trump. It also raises questions about the boundaries of free speech, the interpretation of coded messages, and the responsibility of public figures to consider the potential impact of their words—or images—in a volatile political climate.
What’s Next for James Comey?
As the Secret Service and DHS continue their investigations, it remains unclear whether Comey will face legal consequences. While some, like Tulsi Gabbard, have called for his arrest, others argue that the post was not an explicit threat and that Comey’s prompt deletion and apology should mitigate the situation. The Merriam-Webster dictionary notes that the use of “86” to mean “kill” is relatively recent and not widely adopted, which could support Comey’s claim of ignorance.
What Does “8647” Mean?
The controversy hinges on the interpretation of the numbers “8647.” In certain contexts, “86” is a slang term originating in the service industry, meaning to “get rid of” or “toss out.” According to Merriam-Webster, a newer, albeit less common, usage of “86” can mean “to kill,” which has fueled accusations that Comey’s post was a deliberate threat against Trump, the 47th president. The combination of “86” and “47” has been used in some anti-Trump online spaces as a subtle code for advocating his removal, sometimes violently.
Comey, however, denied any malicious intent. After deleting the post amid the uproar, he issued a follow-up statement on Instagram, saying, “I assumed [the seashells] 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”. Despite his explanation, critics argue that Comey, a former FBI Director with decades of experience in law enforcement, should have been aware of how the numbers could be interpreted, especially given the heightened sensitivity around Trump’s safety following two assassination attempts in 2024.
A History of Tension: Comey and Trump’s Rocky Past
The accusations against Comey are amplified by his tumultuous history with Trump. As FBI Director, Comey oversaw the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and the Hillary Clinton email controversy, decisions that drew criticism from both sides of the political spectrum. Trump fired Comey in May 2017, a move that sparked significant controversy and fueled allegations of obstruction of justice. Since then, Comey has been an outspoken critic of Trump, publishing a memoir in 2018 that detailed their strained relationship and describing the former president as “unfit to lead”.
This history has made Comey a polarizing figure, particularly among Trump supporters, who view him as part of a broader “deep state” opposition to the president. The “8647” post has reignited these tensions, with figures like Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene questioning, “How many times are Democrats going to try to assassinate President Trump???”. The timing of the post, coinciding with Trump’s international trip to the Middle East, added to the alarm, with White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino accusing Comey of making “a plea to bad actors/terrorists to assassinate the POTUS”.
Federal Investigations and Public Reaction
The U.S. Secret Service, responsible for protecting the president, confirmed it is investigating Comey’s post, with spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi stating, “The Secret Service vigorously investigates anything that can be taken as a potential threat against our protectees. We are aware of the social media posts by the former FBI director and we take rhetoric like this very seriously”. FBI Director Kash Patel also noted that the FBI is coordinating with the Secret Service to provide support, though the Secret Service has primary jurisdiction.
On social media, the reaction was predictably polarized. Trump supporters, including far-right activist Laura Loomer and Senator Marsha Blackburn, called for Comey’s arrest, with Loomer labeling the post “a call for the assassination of President Trump by the former FBI Director”. Others, however, defended Comey, arguing that the interpretation of “8647” as a threat was a stretch and that the post was likely a misunderstanding or an innocent mistake. The debate has underscored the hyper-polarized climate surrounding Trump’s presidency, where even a photo of seashells can spiral into a national security issue.
For now, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the deep divisions in American politics and the ease with which a single social media post can escalate into a national controversy. Whether Comey’s “8647” was a misguided political statement, an innocent mistake, or something more sinister, it has undoubtedly added fuel to the ongoing feud between the former FBI Director and the 47th president.
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