Former FBI director James Comey is under investigation for implying President Donald Trump ‘should be assassinated.’
On Thursday afternoon, Comey shared a cryptic image on his Instagram, showcasing various shells arranged to form the numbers: ’86 47.’
That specific combination of numbers has been linked to the assassination of Trump and a ‘quiet resistance.’
The number 86 is regarded as slang for ‘to kill or murder’ in some contexts, seemingly alluding to the traditional grave dimensions of eight feet in length and six feet in depth.
Trump is the 47th president, so some anti-Trump groups use the two numbers together to indicate that Trump should be assassinated.
Department of Homeland Security secretary Kristi Noem exploded at Comey on X within hours of the post, amid mounting fury from MAGA loyalists.
‘Disgraced former FBI Director James Comey just called for the assassination of President Trump,’ she wrote.
‘DHS and Secret Service is investigating this threat and will respond appropriately.’
Former FBI director James Comey is under investigation for implying President Donald Trump ‘should be assassinated’
Pictured: The offending post Comey briefly shared to his Instagram page
Comey swiftly deleted the Instagram photo, but not before it was seized upon and shared widely among right-wing X accounts
Comey swiftly deleted the Instagram photo, but not before it was seized upon and shared widely among right-wing X accounts.
Trump’s son Don Jr. weighed in on Thursday, expressing shock over the post.
He wrote: Just James Comey causally [sic] calling for my dad to be murdered. This is who the Dem-Media worships. Demented!’
Trump is the 47th president, so some anti-Trump groups use the two numbers together to indicate that Trump should be assassinated.
He wrote: Just James Comey causally [sic] calling for my dad to be murdered. This is who the Dem-Media worships. Demented!’
Trump supporter and recent FBI head Kash Patel also commented on the controversy, stating: ‘We are aware of the recent social media post by former FBI Director James Comey, targeted 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 issued a statement on Thursday night insisting it was an honest mistake and he did not understand the connotations of the message.
Trump’s son Don Jr. expressed outrage over the post on Thursday night
Comey served as the director of the FBI from 2013 until he was fired by Trump in 2017
‘I posted a picture of some shells I saw today on a beach walk, which I assumed were a political message,’ he wrote.
‘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.’
During his bid for re-election, Trump narrowly survived an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, when a bullet grazed his ear.
Authorities also foiled an assassination plan backed by Iran just months later.
Right-wing commentator Meghan McCain wrote on X: ‘Don’t know how this can be interpreted as any other way but a threat against President Trump.
‘James Comey should at the very least get a visit from the secret service. Also is everyone mentally ill?’
Comey served as the director of the FBI from 2013 until he was fired by Trump in 2017. In response, Comey arranged for memos from a private meeting he had previously had with Trump to be leaked to the press.
Following the decision to terminate him, Comey sent out an email to staff which read: ‘I have long believed that a president can fire an FBI director for any reason, or for no reason at all.
‘I’m not going to spend time on the decision or the way it was executed. I hope you won’t either. It is done, and I will be fine, although I will miss you and the mission deeply.’
This is a breaking news story. More to come.
