Former FBI Director James Comey became the subject of a federal investigation following a now-deleted Instagram post that some Trump administration officials and supporters interpreted as a potential threat against President Donald Trump.

The post, which featured a photo of seashells arranged to form the numbers “8647” with the caption “Cool shell formation on my beach walk,” sparked immediate backlash from Republicans and prompted scrutiny from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Secret Service.

The numbers “8647” were interpreted by critics as a coded message, with “86” slang for “to get rid of” or, in some contexts, “to kill,” and “47” referring to Trump as the 47th U.S. president.

According to Merriam-Webster, “eighty-six” can mean to dismiss or remove, but it has also been used recently, though sparsely, to imply killing.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was among the first to condemn the post, stating on X, “Disgraced former FBI Director James Comey just called for the assassination of @POTUS Trump. DHS and Secret Service is investigating this threat and will respond appropriately.”

Other Trump allies echoed Noem’s sentiments. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich called the post “deeply concerning” and suggested it could be interpreted as “a hit on the sitting president of the United States.”

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard went further, asserting on Fox News that Comey “should be held accountable and put behind bars” for what she described as “issuing a hit” on Trump.

Donald Trump Jr. also weighed in, accusing Comey of “casually calling for my dad to be murdered.”

Comey quickly deleted the post and issued a statement clarifying his intent. He claimed he assumed the seashell formation was a “political message” and was unaware that some associate the numbers with violence.

“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,” Comey said. Despite his explanation, the backlash continued, with figures like Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) calling for Comey’s arrest and Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) urging an “immediate” joint investigation by the FBI and Secret Service.

Investigation and Official Responses

The Secret Service confirmed it is investigating the post, with spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi stating, “We vigorously investigate anything that can be taken as a potential threat against our protectees.

We are aware of the social media posts by the former FBI director and we take rhetoric like this very seriously.”

A federal law enforcement official told USA TODAY that agents were dispatched to question Comey, a standard procedure for potential threats against current or former presidents.

Current FBI Director Kash Patel also addressed the situation, noting that the FBI is in communication with the Secret Service, which holds primary jurisdiction.

“We, the FBI, will provide all necessary support,” Patel posted on X. Rep. Andy Ogles argued in a letter to Patel and Secret Service Director Sean Curran that the post constitutes a federal violation, citing laws against interstate communication containing threats.

The incident reignites a long-standing feud between Comey and Trump. Comey, appointed FBI director by President Barack Obama in 2013, led the FBI’s investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and Hillary Clinton’s email controversy.

Trump fired Comey in May 2017, a decision widely linked to the Russia probe, which Comey was overseeing. Following his dismissal, Comey became a vocal critic of Trump, publishing a 2018 memoir, A Higher Loyalty, in which he called Trump “morally unfit” and likened his administration to a mafia organization.

The timing of the post added to the controversy, as Trump was on an international trip to the Middle East, and he survived two assassination attempts in 2024.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff James Blair called the post a “Clarion Call from Jim Comey to terrorists & hostile regimes to kill the President of the United States as he travels in the Middle East.”