Former FBI Director James Comey is facing significant backlash after sharing a social media post that included the numbers ’86 47′ etched in the sand, which many interpreted as a ‘hit’ on President Donald Trump. The post, which Comey captioned as a ‘cool shell formation,’ sparked immediate controversy, with critics accusing him of making a threatening comment.
The numbers ’86’ and ’47’ have become symbols of violence and political messaging, with ’86’ often associated with eliminating someone and ’47’ referring to the 47th President of the United States. Following the post, Comey deleted the original image from his Instagram account and issued a message clarifying that he did not intend to make a threat. He stated, ‘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.’
The White House and several lawmakers swiftly condemned the post, with some calling for Comey’s arrest. White House Deputy Chief of Staff and Cabinet Secretary Taylor Budowich weighed in on X, stating, ‘While President Trump is currently on an international trip to the Middle East, the former FBI Director puts out what can clearly be interpreted as ‘a hit’ on the sitting President of the United States—a message etched in the sand, This is deeply concerning to all of us and is being taken seriously.’ Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., added, ‘Arrest Comey,’ in his own post about the matter.
The FBI had no comment on the matter, but it was evident that people at the, the agency were aware of the post. However, Trump’s new FBI director, Kash Patel, acknowledged on X that agency personnel were ‘aware’ of Comey’s post. ‘We are in communication with the Secret Service and Director Curran,’ Patel added in his post. ‘Primary jurisdiction is with SS on these matters and we, the FBI, will provide all necessary support.’
Though the issue has drawn attention from both political parties, the focus remains on the potential danger posed by the post. The situation highlights the sensitivity of political messaging and the potential for even seemingly innocent actions to be misinterpreted as threats. For Comey, the incident could have significant repercussions, especially given his previous role in the FBI and his history of involvement in high-profile cases involving Trump and other public figures.