James Comey, the man once hailed by the media as the “pillar of integrity” during his controversial tenure at the FBI, is now under the microscope of the very federal agencies he once commanded. The former FBI Director found himself answering serious questions from the Secret Service after posting what many believe was a veiled threat toward former President Donald Trump.
The Instagram post at the center of the firestorm featured seashells arranged to spell out “86 47.” For those unfamiliar with coded language, “86” is widely recognized slang for eliminating or disposing of something—or someone. And “47”? That would be Trump, the 47th president if he wins reelection. The implication, according to critics, is chilling.
Comey initially captioned the now-deleted post with, “Cool shell formation on my beach walk.” But backlash was swift. He later attempted to walk it back, posting:
“I posted earlier a picture of some shells I saw today on a beach walk, which I assumed were a political message. 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.”
