Former FBI Director James Comey was interviewed by the U.S. Secret Service on Friday regarding a now-deleted Instagram post that sparked backlash from Donald Trump supporters. The post featured the number “8647” formed by seashells, captioned as a “cool shell formation.” Trump supporters interpreted it as a veiled threat, referencing slang where “86” can mean to eliminate and “47” refers to Trump as the 47th U.S. president.
Comey, who was fired by Trump in 2017 during the FBI’s Russia probe, voluntarily met agents at the Secret Service’s Washington field office. The meeting reportedly lasted about an hour. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed an ongoing investigation, stating on X that Comey was being probed over “a social media post calling for the assassination of President Trump.”
Trump responded in a Fox News interview, asserting that Comey “knew exactly what that meant,” and left further action to Attorney General Pam Bondi. Comey removed the post, claiming he was unaware of any violent connotation and reiterated his opposition to violence.
The term “8647” and its counterpart “8646” (referencing Biden as the 46th president) have circulated in political commentary and merchandise. While “86” has been associated with removal or even death in slang, Merriam-Webster notes the definition is recent and not widely adopted.
The incident reignites tensions between Trump and Comey, who has previously called Trump “morally unfit” to lead. This controversy unfolds as Trump continues to face criticism for his own history of provocative posts, including a video depicting President Biden bound in the back of a truck.
The Secret Service continues to assess the situation, with no charges announced.