James Comey on Shell Image Controversy

Former FBI director James Comey doesn’t anticipate any further repercussions from the Trump administration regarding recent social media posts. These included a controversial image that some interpreted as a call for violence against the former president.

In his first public comments since posting a photo of shells arranged to form the numbers “86 47,” Comey expressed to MSNBC’s Nicole Wallace that he struggles to find regrets about the situation, asserting that he feels “completely innocent.”

“I don’t know how we ended up here,” Comey remarked, reflecting on the attention he received. “It’s a bit strange for me, but this is the world we live in now.”

He described how he came across the shell formation, suggesting it carried a “political message” related to the presidency. His wife had encouraged him to share the image. “We were discussing it and she said, ‘This is kind of political,’” Comey recalled. “Her experience working in restaurants gave her a different perspective. I responded that it was clever.”

After taking the photo, he uploaded it to Instagram, thinking little of it. However, he later heard from his wife that people were interpreting it as an assassination suggestion, which he found absurd. “I’ve removed it because I don’t want to be associated with any kind of violence,” he added.

Comey, who was dismissed by Trump in May 2017 after a four-year tenure at the FBI, shared that the Secret Service contacted him the night he posted the image and interviewed him the following Friday at their Washington office.

“They were very professional,” he noted, reflecting on his experience with the Secret Service agents.

On another note, Trump commented that he believed the imagery was a direct threat against him, emphasizing, “If you’re the FBI director and you don’t recognize that, it means ‘assassination,’ loud and clear.”

Despite the ensuing controversy, Comey stands by his belief that the post was innocent. “While I’m dismayed by the uproar it caused, I find it hard to regret something I perceive as innocent,” he stated.

When asked about comments from National Intelligence Director Tarshi Gabbard suggesting he should face legal consequences, he dismissed it as “silly.”

“People should be aware of who they’re listening to in these discussions,” he said, commenting on the state of leadership today. “It’s disheartening, really.”

Finally, Comey concluded, “I don’t foresee any issues arising from the shell image.”