Former FBI Director James Comey has sparked an outcry from the Trump administration after briefly posting a photo on Instagram that federal officials claimed was a call to violence against President Trump, a claim Comey denied.
Comey, a longtime Trump foe, shared an image of seashells in sand arranged to form the numbers “86 47,” according to screenshots shared by Trump administration officials.
He did not clarify his meaning, but administration officials and some of his supporters interpreted the numbers as referring to Mr. Trump’s status as the 47th president and the slang term “eighty-six,” which is frequently used to mean “eject” or “remove.”
Comey eventually deleted the image. In a follow-up Instagram post Thursday night, Comey stated that he “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 people associate those numbers with violence. It never occurred to me, but I am opposed to all forms of violence, so I removed the post.
CBS News has contacted Comey’s attorneys for comment.
Noem says post is under investigation
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated on X that the issue is being investigated. She stated that Comey “just called for the assassination” of President Trump, and that her agency and the Secret Service are “investigating this threat and will respond appropriately.”
Current FBI Director Kash Patel stated in a separate statement, “We are aware of former FBI Director James Comey’s recent tweet directed at President Trump. We are in communication with the Secret Service and Director (Sean) Curran. The primary jurisdiction in these matters lies with SS, and the FBI will provide all necessary assistance.”
A Secret Service spokesperson told CBS News in a statement that the agency “vigorously investigates anything that could be interpreted as a potential threat to our protectees.” We are aware of the former FBI Director’s social media posts, and we take such rhetoric very seriously. Aside from that, we do not comment on protective intelligence issues.”
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich stated in his own social media post that Comey’s message “can clearly be interpreted as ‘a hit’ on the sitting President of the United States,” and that it is “being taken seriously.”
Comey and Trump have feuded for years. Comey was the FBI director from 2013 until he was fired by President Trump in 2017, during his first term.
That firing sparked Robert Mueller’s special counsel investigation into allegations that Russia interfered in the 2016 US presidential election and that the Trump campaign colluded with the Kremlin. Mr. Trump has repeatedly called the allegations a “hoax.”
Comey has been a vocal critic of Mr. Trump since his dismissal, calling him “morally unfit” to be president in a 2018 interview.
Mr. Trump faced two assassination attempts during his presidential campaign last year. A 20-year-old gunman opened fire on President Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, grazing his ear with a bullet. One rally attendee was killed, and two others were injured.
On September 14, a man was arrested on charges of attempting to assassinate Mr. Trump at his golf course in West Palm Beach by aiming a rifle through shrubbery.
What does “86 47” mean?
It’s unclear what Comey meant in his Instagram post, but the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “eighty-six” as “throw out” or “get rid of” something.
According to Merriam-Webster, it is derived from 1930s soda counter slang, which indicated that an item had sold out. The term can also refer to people. According to the dictionary, “Eighty-six” means to kick out or refuse service to an inebriated bar patron.