A political firestorm erupted Thursday when former FBI Director James Comey posted a cryptic Instagram photo of seashells arranged to form the numbers “8647,” which many in conservative circles interpret as a coded call to assassinate President Donald Trump. The post, deleted after sparking outrage, has prompted investigations by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Secret Service, with Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard leading calls for Comey’s arrest.

The controversy stems from the phrase “86 47,” where “86” is slang for “to get rid of” or, more recently, “to kill,” and “47” refers to Trump’s status as the 47th President of the United States. Comey, a vocal Trump detractor since his 2017 firing by the then-president, likely knew exactly what he was implying, though he now denies it.

“This is the guy who’s issuing a hit on President Trump,” Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said on Fox News’ Jesse Watters Primetime. “Any other person with the position of influence that he has… should be held accountable and put behind bars for this.”

Comey’s post, captioned “Cool shell formation on my beach walk,” was removed after backlash from Trump allies, including Donald Trump Jr., who wrote on X, “Just James Comey casually calling for my dad to be murdered.” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote: “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 survived two assassination attempts during his 2024 campaign—one in July in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a gunman grazed his ear, killing one attendee, and another in September at Trump International Golf Club in Florida. Gabbard noted this, saying, “The dangerousness of this cannot be underestimated… We’ve already seen assassination attempts.”

Comey, who led the FBI from 2013 to 2017, has a contentious history with Trump. Fired amid the bureau’s probe into alleged Russian ties to Trump’s 2016 campaign, Comey later called Trump “morally unfit” for office and wrote a memoir critical of the former president. His defenders, including some left-leaning commentators, argue the “8647” post was a misunderstanding, with Comey claiming he thought it was merely a “political message” and was unaware of its violent connotations.

“James Comey spent his career prosecuting mobsters,” Gabbard said, dismissing his ignorance claim. “He understood the dangerous lingo he posted on Instagram.”

FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the agency is supporting the Secret Service’s investigation, saying, “We are in communication with Director [Sean] Curran. Primary jurisdiction is with SS on these matters, and we, the FBI, will provide all necessary support.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)