President Donald Trump has accused former FBI Director James Comey of making a veiled threat against him in a social media post that featured a photo containing numbers believed to reference the assassination of a sitting president.
In an interview with Bret Baier on Friday, Trump responded to an image Comey posted Thursday on Instagram.
The photo showed seashells arranged in the shape of the numbers “86 47,” which Trump and others have interpreted as a coded call for violence.
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Trump is the 47th President of the United States, and the slang term “86” is often used to mean “eliminate.”
“He knew exactly what that meant. A child knows what that meant … That meant ‘assassination,’” Trump said during the interview.
Comey captioned the post, “Cool shell formation on my beach walk.”
The image immediately drew widespread criticism from Trump’s supporters, who argued the post was not accidental or innocent.
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Trump directly linked the message to an intentional threat and called Comey “a dirty cop.”
The president said the matter should be handled with seriousness by federal law enforcement.
“He’s calling for the assassination of the president,” Trump said, adding that he believes no leniency should be shown toward Comey.
The Department of Homeland Security has confirmed that the post is being reviewed.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated that both DHS and the United States Secret Service are looking into the post following the outcry.
Comey, who served as FBI Director under both Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump, was dismissed by Trump in May 2017.
His tenure and subsequent actions have remained a point of contention among Trump supporters, especially following the launch of the Crossfire Hurricane investigation into alleged ties between Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia.
Trump told Baier that the ultimate decision regarding any potential legal consequences would fall to Attorney General Pam Bondi.
“That’ll be up to the attorney general, who I think will be tough, and I think she’ll be fair,” Trump said.
“But I don’t think there should be leniency.”
🚨 @POTUS on former FBI Director James Comey’s “86 47” threat: “He knew exactly what that meant. A child knows what that meant … That meant ‘assassination.’” pic.twitter.com/LfOHKfSOFa
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 16, 2025
As of Friday evening, neither the Department of Justice nor James Comey had issued a public comment regarding the status of any formal investigation into the post.
The phrase “86 47” has drawn increasing scrutiny online, with many users echoing Trump’s view that the numbers were deliberately chosen.
Others have debated whether the post rises to the level of a criminal threat or falls under constitutionally protected speech.
Security officials have not provided a timeline for the investigation or commented on whether Comey will be interviewed as part of the inquiry.
The situation has intensified political tensions around former law enforcement officials and their role in high-profile investigations during Trump’s first term.
Trump has frequently cited Comey’s actions during his time as FBI Director as central to what he has described as politically motivated efforts to undermine his presidency.
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