Former FBI Director James Comey faces intense scrutiny after posting an Instagram photo featuring seashells arranged to read “86 47,” a combination widely interpreted as a veiled threat against President Donald Trump, the 47th president. The number “86” is commonly understood to mean “eliminate,” leading critics to view the post as an incitement to violence.
Comey defended the post, stating it was “totally innocent.” It’s “hard to have regret” over it, Comey added in a MSNBC interview. He explained that he and his wife encountered the shell arrangement during a beach walk and saw it as a clever visual pun. “We stood over it and I said, ‘I think it’s some kind of political message.'” Comey said his wife explained that during her time working in a restaurant “86” “‘meant to remove an item from the menu when you ran out of ingredients,'” Comey recounted. He added, “I said, as a kid, it always meant to leave a place, to ditch a place.’ I said, ‘That’s really clever.’”
Despite his explanation, the post drew condemnation from various quarters. President Trump, who has survived two assassination attempts, stated, “He knew exactly what that meant. A child knows what that meant,” FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino told Fox News’ Bret Baier in a May 16 interview.
“If you’re the FBI director, and you don’t know what that meant, that meant ‘assassination,’ and it says it loud and clear,” Bongino, who formerly served as a Secret Service Agent assigned to former first lady Michelle Obama’s protection detail, questioned.
The Secret Service interviewed Comey regarding the post. He described the agents as “pros” and noted that he took down the post to avoid any association with violence. Comey dismissed calls for criminal charges as “ridiculous,” suggesting they reflect broader issues within the current administration.
