Former FBI Director James Comey has ignited controversy with a beach photo that some interpret as a veiled threat to Donald Trump.

Comey posted an image featuring seashells arranged in the sequence 8647.

The post has since been removed, but it prompted significant criticism from the US Government.

Kristi Noem, the head of Homeland Security, warned that she and the Secret Service will launch a probe.

She claimed Comey had called for Trump to be assassinated.

In the US, the number 86 refers to an item being taken off the menu, and Trump is the 47th president.

Comey also clarified the picture in a subsequent statement.

“I posted earlier a picture of some shells I saw today on a beach walk, which I assumed were a political message,” he said.

” I didn’t realize some folks associate those numbers with violence.”

Trump survived two assassination attempts in the run-up to last year’s presidential election.