James Comey, the former FBI director, has removed an Instagram post titled “86 47.”
In the post, Comey included a picture of a shell he found during a beach walk, with the caption “86 47.”
Though “86” is not originally linked to violence—having roots in restaurant slang—many perceived the post as suggesting otherwise, leading to significant backlash and its deletion.
He explained, “I thought I was sharing a simple photo of shells and didn’t associate those numbers with any violent message.”
Kash Patel, the current FBI director, stated that the agency is aware of the controversy and is coordinating with the Secret Service regarding the matter.
Patel posted on X, “We are aware of a recent tweet from James Comey aimed at President Trump, and we are in touch with the Secret Service. They mainly handle these types of concerns, but the FBI will support as needed.”
Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) expressed that Comey should clarify his remarks, particularly in light of past assassination attempts on Trump.
Blackburn stated, “Comey’s recent, cryptic posts raise concerns about the president’s safety. I think he needs to explain what he meant.”
Since being dismissed as FBI director during the Trump administration, Comey has been a vocal critic of the president. He also supported Kamala Harris in the last election.
“Kamala Harris made me feel truly American again,” he said. “If you believe in the rule of law, you should back Harris and Waltz.”
“I will,” Comey assured.
