James Comey posted, and then deleted, a social media message about President Donald Trump that sparked outrage among Republicans and federal scrutiny of the former FBI director.
Comey shared a photo Thursday of the numbers “8647” spelled out in seashells on a sandy beach, along with the phrase “cool shell formation on my beachwalk.”
Republicans quickly condemned the message as a threat to Trump, interpreting the numbers “86” as suggesting he should be killed, though the phrase means “eject, dismiss or remove” or “get rid of” someone in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
“DHS and Secret Service is investigating this threat and will respond appropriately,” warned Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in a post on X.
FBI Director Kash Patel also weighed in, saying his agency was in touch with the Secret Service and would “provide all necessary support.”
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard told Fox News she believes Comey should be put in jail for the post.
“I’m very concerned for the president’s life,” she said in an interview. “We’ve already seen assassination attempts. I’m very concerned for his life. And James Comey, in my view, should be held accountable and put behind bars for this.”
Comey took the Instagram post down within hours. He issued a statement saying he assumed the shells conveyed a political message without realizing “some folks associate those numbers with violence.”
He and the president have a long history. Frustrated over an FBI investigation into his aides’ contacts with Russia throughout the 2016 election, Trump in his first term fired Comey from his job overseeing the agency.
The former FBI director took shots at Trump’s hand size and tan in a tell-all book about his experience with the president. And Trump later remarked that sacking Comey was “a great service to this country.”
Donald Trump Jr., the president’s son, was also quick to accuse Comey of advocating violence as the “8647” Instagram post spread on social media.
“Just James Comey causally calling for my dad to be murdered,’ Trump Jr. wrote in a post on X. “This is who the Dem-Media worships. Demented!!!!”
Republicans across the political spectrum, from Meghan McCain to Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs and Laura Loomer, joined the White House in panning Comey’s post.
“President Trump has already survived TWO assassination attempts,” House Speaker Mike Johnson wrote on X. “Now, former disgraced FBI director James Comey is either threatening to kill Donald Trump or suggesting someone should. This is as outrageous as it is dangerous.”
Others hinted at resorting to violence themselves.
“I’d raid his f****ing house,” former Trump co-campaign manager Chris LaCivita said on X.
