James Comey under fire as probe launched into his '8647' post seen as possible threat to Trump's life

WASHINGTON, DC: Former FBI Director James Comey is facing intense backlash and a federal investigation after posting a cryptic image to Instagram that many interpreted as a veiled threat against President Donald Trump.

Comey took the post down shortly after it sparked backlash online, reports Newsweek.

James Comey's cryptic Instagram post sparks outrage 

The now-deleted photo showed shells arranged to form the numbers “8647,” a combination that critics allege symbolically calls for the assassination of the 47th president and is used as a symbol of “quiet resistance.”

The number 86 has long been used as slang for “eliminate” or “kill,” particularly in military and restaurant jargon. 

It raised alarms among conservative figures and prompted immediate calls for investigation.

Kristi Noem announces Secret Service and DHS are investigating James Comey over the post

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced an investigation into James Comey just hours after the post appeared.

“Disgraced former FBI Director James Comey just called for the assassination of President Trump. DHS and Secret Service are investigating this threat and will respond appropriately,” she wrote on X (formerly Twitter). 

“We are aware of the recent social media post by former FBI Director James Comey, directed at President Trump," current FBI Director Kash Patel wrote in his post. 

He added, "We are in communication with the Secret Service and Director Curran. Primary jurisdiction lies with the Secret Service on these matters, and we, the FBI, will provide all necessary support.”

James Comey denies any malicious intent after removing post

James Comey has addressed the growing controversy surrounding a now-deleted Instagram post that drew accusations of encouraging violence against Donald Trump.

He issued a statement Sunday clarifying that he never intended the post, which showed shells arranged to form the numbers “8647,” to be interpreted as a threat.

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

White House official says James Comey's post can be clearly interpreted as 'a hit' on Donald Trump

Among those who perceived James Comey's post as a threat to the president was his son, Donald Trump Jr, who wrote on X, “Just James Comey casually calling for my dad to be murdered. This is who the Dem-Media worships. Demented!!!!” 

The White House's Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich condemned Comey's post, stating, “While President Trump is currently on an international trip to the Middle East, the former FBI Director puts out what can clearly be interpreted as 'a hit' on the sitting President of the United States—a message etched in the sand.”

Budowich added, “This is deeply concerning to all of us and is being taken seriously.”

Conservative political activist Laura Loomer posted a screenshot of Comey's post and wrote, “WOW! Former FBI Director James Comey just posted this on his Instagram 2 hours ago, with the caption 'cool shell formation on my beach walk'. It’s a pic of shells in the form of '86 47'. This is a call for the assassination of President Trump by the former FBI Director!”

Internet says James Comey needs 'more to convince' that '8647' post wasn't meant to be a threat

Reactions across social media regarding James Comey's post were swift and intense.

One wrote, “He posted that picture because he knew exactly what it meant,” while another added, “This code has been in use for over 3 months now. He knows what it means, and he knows other people have been arrested over it.”

Others took the opportunity to suggest legal consequences, with one writing, “Hopefully he’ll be posting from jail sooner rather than later.” An individual said, “Arrest James Comey and lock him up. Nobody is above the law – that's what the Dems spent the past four years telling us!”

“For a former FBI director, he needs more to convince me. If he had no idea and posted it, it means that he was never qualified for the job of FBI director. End of the story,” another tweet read. 

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.