In an unexpected social media incident, former FBI Director James Comey is now under investigation by the Secret Service following a post that has ignited political backlash.
**James Comey Under Investigation for Controversial Seashell Post Sparking Threat Claims Against Trump**
**James Comey Under Investigation for Controversial Seashell Post Sparking Threat Claims Against Trump**
The former FBI director faces scrutiny for an Instagram post that some interpret as a violent message towards the president.
20 minutes ago
James Comey, who served as FBI director from 2013 to 2017, is facing an investigation by the Secret Service after a deleted social media post raised alarms among Republicans. The post, shared on Instagram, featured a photo of seashells arranged to spell the numbers "8647," which Comey captioned as "Cool shell formation on my beach walk." However, the numbers "86" have been used in slang to signify 'to kill' or 'to remove', leading to accusations of an incitement against President Donald Trump, who is the 47th president of the United States.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was among the first to claim that the message could symbolize a call for Trump's assassination. Despite the uproar, Comey expressed that he opposes violence and was unaware that the numbers were associated with violent connotations. He later explained, after deleting the post, that he "assumed [the seashells] were a political message" but emphasized his disapproval of any form of violence.
In response, the Secret Service confirmed that they take any potential threats against their protectees very seriously. “We vigorously investigate anything that can be taken as a potential threat against our protectees. We are aware of the social media posts by the former FBI Director & we take rhetoric like this very seriously,” stated Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi.
Moreover, current FBI Director Kash Patel acknowledged awareness of the incident and mentioned that they would collaborate with the Secret Service regarding the matter. Many officials, including White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino and Donald Trump Jr., reacted sharply on social media, accusing Comey of calling for violence against the president.
During his time at the FBI, Comey gained notoriety for his handling of high-profile investigations, notably the inquiry into Hillary Clinton’s emails, and was subsequently fired by Trump amidst investigations into Russian interference in the election. As Comey’s past continues to interlock with current political tensions, the implications of his social media misstep remain to be seen.
James Comey, who served as FBI director from 2013 to 2017, is facing an investigation by the Secret Service after a deleted social media post raised alarms among Republicans. The post, shared on Instagram, featured a photo of seashells arranged to spell the numbers "8647," which Comey captioned as "Cool shell formation on my beach walk." However, the numbers "86" have been used in slang to signify 'to kill' or 'to remove', leading to accusations of an incitement against President Donald Trump, who is the 47th president of the United States.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was among the first to claim that the message could symbolize a call for Trump's assassination. Despite the uproar, Comey expressed that he opposes violence and was unaware that the numbers were associated with violent connotations. He later explained, after deleting the post, that he "assumed [the seashells] were a political message" but emphasized his disapproval of any form of violence.
In response, the Secret Service confirmed that they take any potential threats against their protectees very seriously. “We vigorously investigate anything that can be taken as a potential threat against our protectees. We are aware of the social media posts by the former FBI Director & we take rhetoric like this very seriously,” stated Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi.
Moreover, current FBI Director Kash Patel acknowledged awareness of the incident and mentioned that they would collaborate with the Secret Service regarding the matter. Many officials, including White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino and Donald Trump Jr., reacted sharply on social media, accusing Comey of calling for violence against the president.
During his time at the FBI, Comey gained notoriety for his handling of high-profile investigations, notably the inquiry into Hillary Clinton’s emails, and was subsequently fired by Trump amidst investigations into Russian interference in the election. As Comey’s past continues to interlock with current political tensions, the implications of his social media misstep remain to be seen.
