Ex-FBI chief meets Secret Service over contentious '86 47' Insta post
3 Min Read
James Comey is under Secret Service investigation over a cryptic Instagram post interpreted as a threat toward Trump, sparking controversy and heightened political tensions.
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Former FBI director James Comey gestures while speaking at Harvard University's Institute of Politics' JFK Jr. Forum in Cambridge, Mass., Feb. 24, 2020. (AP)
Former FBI Director James Comey has been interviewed by US Secret Service officials in Washington, D.C., following controversy over a cryptic Instagram post that many interpreted as a veiled threat toward US President Donald Trump.
Two sources familiar with the matter told Fox News that Comey met with agents late Friday afternoon at a federal building that houses law enforcement offices. The closed-door session reportedly lasted 70 minutes. A source also indicated that Comey's wife is scheduled to be questioned next by the Secret Service.
The uproar centers around a now-deleted post from Comey showing seashells arranged to spell out “86 47.” He captioned it, “Cool shell formation on my beach walk.” The numbers quickly drew speculation online, with “86” commonly used slang for “get rid of” and “47” widely understood as a reference to Trump, the 47th president.
‼️👀 Today has been 8647 days since the September 11, 2001 attacks.
— Diligent Denizen 🇺🇸 (@DiligentDenizen) May 16, 2025
How many messages was James Comey sending today? 👀 pic.twitter.com/FYUf61ahxT
Amid social media backlash, Comey attempted to clarify his intentions, “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 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.”
James Comey is vile. https://t.co/wdwPUPpz8K
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) May 15, 2025
Trump, however, rejected Comey’s explanation outright. In an interview with Bret Baier, he said, “He knew exactly what that meant. A child knows what that meant. If you're the FBI director and you don't know what that meant, that meant ‘assassination,’ and it says it loud and clear.”
Wider context
The FBI, which Comey led until Trump dismissed him during his first term, declined to comment publicly, but sources suggest top-level officials at the Bureau were aware of the post. Kash Patel, Trump’s current FBI director, confirmed in a statement that agency personnel had been monitoring the situation: “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.”
The investigation is currently being led by the Secret Service, though both the FBI and the Department of Justice are said to be prepared to assume greater involvement if warranted.
The probe comes amid heightened security concerns following two assassination attempts against Trump within the past year, one of which left him injured and claimed the life of a bystander.
It has also reignited political tensions, with Trump supporters viewing the post as a direct threat, while others argue the interpretation may have been blown out of proportion.
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