Former FBI Director James Comey is at the center of a political firestorm following an Instagram post that critics say contained a veiled call for violence against President Donald Trump.
On Thursday, Comey shared a photo of seashells arranged in the formation “86 47” with the caption, “Cool shell formation on my beach walk.” While seemingly innocuous to some, the post quickly drew intense scrutiny. The number “86” is widely understood in American slang to mean “eliminate” or “get rid of,” and “47” has been interpreted as a reference to Trump, who would be the 47th president if reelected.
The image was deleted shortly after it was posted, but not before screenshots circulated rapidly across social media, sparking outrage among conservative figures and Trump allies.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem responded swiftly on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “Disgraced former FBI Director James Comey just called for the assassination of @POTUS Trump.”
Donald Trump Jr. also weighed in, accusing Comey of incitement. “Just James Comey casually calling for my dad to be murdered. This is who the Dem-Media worships. Demented!!!!” he posted.
Dan Scavino, Trump’s former deputy chief of staff, joined the chorus, alleging that Comey’s post was a thinly veiled call to action. “While he’ll claim not to know what 86 47 means, there’s no doubt that the former disgraced FBI Dir. knows exactly what he’s doing,” Scavino posted. “Don’t let him get away with it!!”
In response to the escalating backlash, Comey issued a clarification on Instagram, denying any malicious intent behind the post.
“I posted 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 incident has reignited partisan tensions, with critics arguing the post was irresponsible at best, while Comey’s defenders say the controversy has been blown out of proportion.
As of Friday morning, no formal investigation into the post has been announced, but legal analysts suggest that authorities may review the matter given the nature of the allegations.
