The U.S. Secret Service has opened an investigation into former FBI Director James Comey. This came after he posted a controversial image on Instagram. According to The New York Post, many saw the photo as a coded message against US President Donald Trump.
Instagram Post Raises Red Flags
Comey posted a photo of seashells arranged in the numbers “8647.” He captioned it, “Cool shell formation on my beach walk.”
However, the post caused alarm. The number “86” is slang for removing or eliminating something. Meanwhile, “47” is widely linked to Trump, who is aiming to become the 47th president. As a result, some interpreted the combination as a threat.
Officials Take Immediate Action
Soon after the post went public, FBI Director Kash Patel responded. He stated that the FBI is supporting the Secret Service’s investigation. In a post on X, Patel wrote, “We are aware of the recent social media post by former FBI Director James Comey, directed at President Trump. We are in communication with the Secret Service and Director Curran. Primary jurisdiction is with SS on these matters and we, the FBI, will provide all necessary support.”
Additionally, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem strongly criticized Comey. She accused him of promoting violence. She said 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.”
Trump Jr. Joins the Criticism
Moreover, Donald Trump Jr. slammed Comey in a post on X. He said, “Just James Comey casually calling for my dad to be murdered. This is who the Dem-Media worships. Demented.”
Comey Issues a Clarification
Later, Comey responded to the outrage. He claimed he didn’t know the numbers had violent connotations. In a statement on Instagram, he wrote, “I posted earlier a picture of some shells I saw today on a beach walk, which I assumed were a political message. I didn’t realise 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’s History as FBI Director
Previously, President Obama appointed Comey as FBI Director in 2013. He oversaw major investigations, including Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election and Hillary Clinton’s email controversy.
Eventually, in May 2017, Trump fired Comey during his first term. Throughout his time in office, both Republicans and Democrats criticized how he handled those high-profile cases. Nevertheless, neither Clinton nor Trump faced charges from those probes, according to CNN.
