Former FBI Director James Comey is being investigated by the Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security, according to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, after he shared an image on Instagram on Thursday of a message made out of seashells that read “86 47,” for which he later apologized and stated that it was not a call for political violence.
Key Facts
- The message in Comey’s post, which has since been removed from his Instagram profile, has been interpreted by critics as having a violent connotation toward Trump, the 47th president of the U.S., as the number “86” has long been used as a slang term to get rid of something.
- Comey apologized for the post, which was captioned “Cool shell information on my beach walk,” saying in a follow-up post he assumed the shells were a political message and that he did not realize “some folks associate those numbers with violence.”
- Noem accused Comey of calling for Trump’s assassination, saying federal authorities will “respond appropriately.”
- FBI Director Kash Patel said he is “aware of the recent social media post by former FBI Director James Comey,” adding the bureau “will provide all necessary support” to the Secret Service.
- Donald Trump Jr., the president’s eldest child, accused Comey of “causally calling for my dad to be murdered,” calling him “vile” in a separate post.
- Anthony Guglielmi, chief of communications for the Secret Service, told Forbes in an email the agency is aware of Comey’s post and takes “rhetoric like this very seriously,” adding, “Beyond that, we do not comment on protective intelligence matters.”
- The White House and Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to Forbes’ request for comment.
Crucial quote
“I previously posted a photo of some shells I found on a beach walk today, 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 oppose all forms of violence, so I removed the post,” Comey wrote in his apology.
What to Look For
Whether Trump responds. As of 8:20 p.m. EDT, Trump had not made any public comments about Comey’s post or apology on his Truth Social or X accounts.
Key Background
Former President Barack Obama appointed Comey as the FBI’s director in 2013. He was fired by Trump in 2017, while Comey was investigating his campaign for alleged Russian collusion during the 2016 election.
Trump’s Justice Department later claimed that Comey improperly handled memos detailing his interactions with Trump, despite the fact that the former FBI director was not charged with any crime.
Trump and Comey’s relationship remained strained following the investigation into Comey, who stated in 2018 that Trump was “morally unfit to be president” and treated women like “pieces of meat.” In recent years, Comey has written both nonfiction books about his experiences in Washington, D.C. and crime novels.
