Going from top official at the nation’s leading law enforcement agency to a crucial suspect, former FBI Director James Comey has found himself in deep water.
The Secret Service has launched an investigation into Comey for a social media post that called for violence against President Donald Trump.
The disgraced ex-bureau chief posted an image of seashells spelling “8647,” which is widely interpreted as coded language to “get rid of” or “kill” the 47th president.
Despite his denial of malicious intent, the incident has sparked outrage from top officials who view it as the latest evidence of the deep state’s hostility toward President Trump.
The controversial Instagram post showed seashells arranged to form “8647” with Comey’s caption: “Cool shell formation on my beach walk.”
Security experts quickly noted that “86” is slang for eliminating someone, while “47” represents Trump’s presidential number.
The post was later deleted after widespread backlash, but not before screenshots circulated widely online.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was among the first high-ranking officials to sound the alarm about the post’s sinister implications.
“Disgraced former FBI Director James Comey just called for the assassination of President Trump,” Noem stated bluntly, reflecting the serious manner in which the administration viewed the incident.
In response, the Secret Service confirmed they are actively investigating the matter.
“We are aware of the social media posts by the former FBI director and we take rhetoric like this very seriously. Beyond that, we do not comment on protective intelligence matters,” said Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi in an official statement.
This is probably the craziest post I’ve ever seen from any government official. Current or former. Absolutely diabolical.
James Comey belongs in prison. pic.twitter.com/XDZtE4caXi
— Vance Murphy (@vancemurphy) May 15, 2025
Donald Trump Jr. accused Comey of “casually calling for my dad to be murdered.”
His words highlight the Trump family’s ongoing concerns about threats against the president, who survived two assassination attempts during the 2024 campaign.
Trump campaign spokesman Taylor Budowich echoed these concerns, stating: “This is deeply concerning to all of us and is being taken seriously.”
For his part, Comey has attempted to downplay the controversy, claiming ignorance about the coded message’s meaning.
“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 said.
The timing of the incident has raised suspicions, as Comey has a well-documented history of animosity toward President Trump.
After being fired in 2017 during the Russia investigation, Comey has repeatedly criticized the president.
Now promoting himself as a fiction writer, many conservatives question whether this “accidental” threat reveals his true feelings.
Current FBI Director Kash Patel has offered full support to the Secret Service investigation, demonstrating the seriousness with which federal law enforcement views potential threats against the president.
Some Republican lawmakers have gone further. Representative Tim Burchett and Trump campaign co-manager Chris LaCivita suggested Comey should face arrest or, at minimum, a home raid similar to what President Trump experienced at Mar-a-Lago.
