Former FBI director James Comey has once again found himself at the centre of a political storm, this time over a beachside Instagram post that triggered intense backlash from Donald Trump’s supporters and sparked a federal investigation. In an interview originally published by The Times UK, Comey reflects on his fraught relationship with Trump, the state of American democracy, and his latest work of fiction—just as controversy begins to swirl around him once more.
While on holiday and promoting his new political thriller FDR Drive, Comey appeared relaxed, joking that he hadn’t yet felt Trump’s retribution in what he calls “Trump 2.0.” He recounted the intense scrutiny and retaliation he experienced during Trump’s first term—including being fired just four months into the presidency, aggressive tax audits, and public vilification. “I was on the enemies list before there was an enemies list,” Comey remarked.
But tranquility was short-lived. Hours after the interview, Comey posted—and then deleted—a photo on Instagram showing seashells arranged in the numbers “86 47.” The cryptic image exploded across social media. In American slang, “86” can mean to reject or eliminate, and Trump is the 47th president. Some Trump allies, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, interpreted the post as a veiled call for assassination. Trump himself declared, “A child knows what that meant.”
Comey has called those interpretations “crazy,” explaining that the numbers were merely an accidental shell formation he found during a beach walk. Nevertheless, the Secret Service interviewed him the day after the post went viral.
In his interview with The Times UK, Comey likened Trump’s return to a horror movie sequel. “His return was like the horror movie sequel that you didn’t want,” he said. “He’s back like a movie monster for all of us, including me.” Comey also believes he lives rent-free in Trump’s mind: “I think I’m the relationship he can’t get over.”
Comey didn’t hold back on broader concerns about Trump’s influence on American institutions. He warned that Trump’s return to office poses a real risk to democratic norms and national security. He described Trump’s administration as stacked with “wingnuts” and “morally flexible” figures, asserting that the U.S. government is currently being led by individuals who are “not up to the job.”
Despite their fraught history, Comey acknowledged the role his actions may have played in Trump’s 2016 victory. Days before that election, Comey publicly announced that the FBI was reopening its investigation into Hillary Clinton’s emails, a move Clinton later said “shivved” her campaign. Comey stands by the decision but admits it was painful: “We chose the least bad option.”
Comey’s new novel tackles themes of disinformation, free speech, and incitement—timely topics in the current political climate. He draws clear parallels between his fictional right-wing antagonist and real-life figures like Steve Bannon and Alex Jones. “Trump is our demagogue-in-chief,” he said. “And so his language permeates everything.”
The former FBI chief also weighed in on recent scandals, including “Signalgate,” in which classified military data was mishandled by Trump’s team. He questioned the competence and integrity of current officials, expressing concerns about the long-term effects on America’s intelligence-sharing relationships. “It’s like loving your spouse but now worrying about your spouse cheating on you,” he told The Times UK.
Still, Comey remains hopeful for a post-Trump America. “It will be easy for people in a post-Trump era to say, ‘We’ve left the circus,’” he said. “And it will hasten the recovery of relationships.”
As Comey continues to promote his novel and navigate the firestorm surrounding his beach post, one thing is clear: his presence remains a lightning rod in the American political arena—and Donald Trump’s rhetoric continues to keep him in the crosshairs.
