James Comey has denied claims that a cryptic Trump-related Instagram post he shared Thursday was a call for violence.
The photo, which contained “86” and “47” spelled out in seashells on a beach, landed the former FBI director under investigation by federal authorities after many White House officials and allies of President Donald Trump claimed that the message was a call for his assassination.
“Cool shell formation on my beach walk,” Comey captioned the photo.
Several top Trump officials, including Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, interpreted the post as a threat to Trump and subsequently called for criminal charges.
Many within Trump’s orbit have understood the 47 to represent his current term as the 47th president of the United States. Meanwhile, 86 is common restaurant parlance for “get rid of” something or to ban an individual from the establishment—though many in Trump’s orbit are arguing that the phrase is an explicit call for someone to be killed.
Comey deleted the post within hours, and wrote in a follow-up statement on Instagram: “I 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 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 former FBI director seemingly insinuated that someone else had arranged the shells on the beach that way, and he walked past them and decided to take a photo.
“Disgraced former FBI Director James Comey just called for the assassination of @POTUS Trump,” Noem wrote on X Thursday. “DHS and Secret Service is [sic] investigating this threat and will respond appropriately.”
Current FBI Director Kash Patel also sounded the alarms on X shortly after Noem’s post and wrote: “We are aware of the recent social media post by former FBI Director James Comey, directed at President Trump. We are in communication with the Secret Service and Director Curran. Primary jurisdiction is with SS on these matters and we, the FBI, will provide all necessary support.”
Comey served as the director for the FBI between 2013 and 2017. He notably led the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s email scandal.
He was fired by Trump during his first administration in 2017—just as the agency’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election was heating up. Before handing him a pink slip, Trump also demanded loyalty from Comey during an infamous dinner.
Trump has called Comey a “grandstander” and “showboat” in the past, according to CNN.
Though the president has yet to personally comment on the post, his son, Donald Trump Jr. wrote on X: “Just James Comey causally calling for my dad to be murdered. This is who the Dem-Media worships. Demented!!!!”
