The former FBI Director shocked America with a coded message that left Republicans outraged.
Government officials are calling for immediate consequences.
And James Comey sparked outrage among Florida officials with this shocking threat against Donald Trump.
Comey posts coded threat on social media
Former FBI Director James Comey sparked outrage after posting what many are calling a thinly-veiled threat against President Trump on social media.
In the now-deleted Instagram post, Comey shared a photo of seashells arranged in the sand to spell out “8647” – a code widely interpreted in anti-Trump circles to mean “get rid of Trump.”
The “86” represents slang for discarding someone, while “47” references Trump’s status as the 47th President.
President Trump himself addressed the controversy directly, telling Fox News host Bret Baier there was no ambiguity about the message.
“He knew exactly what it meant, a child knows what that meant,” Trump stated. “If you’re the FBI Director and you don’t know what that meant? That meant ‘assassination’.”
The President added that he would leave the matter for Attorney General Pam Bondi to address, suggesting possible legal consequences for the former FBI Director.
Florida Republicans demand action
The post triggered immediate backlash from Florida Republican lawmakers, many of whom are demanding an investigation.
Byron Donalds, who is also running for Florida governor, didn’t mince words about the severity of the incident.
“Disgusting, completely unacceptable, and out of bounds,” Donalds said. “This hack needs to be INVESTIGATED IMMEDIATELY. How far are the radicals in the Deep State willing to take America?”
Disgusting, completely unacceptable, and out of bounds.
How far are the radicals in the Deep State willing to take America?
This hack needs to be INVESTIGATED IMMEDIATELY. https://t.co/0JEBk0h4qj
— Byron Donalds (@ByronDonalds) May 15, 2025
Anna Paulina Luna responded with her own beach image on social media, showing “Arrest Comey” written in the sand.
— Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (@RepLuna) May 16, 2025
Jimmy Patronis joined the chorus of criticism, tweeting: “Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. @Comey created so much hate with this post. What did you accomplish? You proved there is a deep state.”
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. @Comey created so much hate with this post. What did you accomplish? You proved there is a deep state. pic.twitter.com/8oAEw8HSTB
— Jimmy Patronis (@JimmyPatronis) May 15, 2025
Director of National Intelligence condemns post
Some of the strongest condemnation came from Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who explicitly called the post a threat to the President’s life.
“James Comey just issued a call to action to murder the President of the United States,” Gabbard stated. “As a former FBI Director and someone who spent most of his career prosecuting mobsters and gangsters, he knew exactly what he was doing and must be held accountable under the full force of the law.”
James Comey just issued a call to action to murder the President of the United States.
As a former FBI Director and someone who spent most of his career prosecuting mobsters and gangsters, he knew exactly what he was doing and must be held accountable under the full force of the… pic.twitter.com/zvbu5Vf0zg
— DNI Tulsi Gabbard (@DNIGabbard) May 16, 2025
The reference to “86” carries particularly sinister undertones in mob circles, where it’s understood as taking someone “eight miles out of town” and putting them “six feet under” – a clear reference to murder.
FBI investigating the threat
Current FBI Director Kash Patel acknowledged the severity of the situation, confirming on Thursday that the agency is working with the Secret Service regarding the post.
“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,” Patel said.
Following intense backlash, Comey deleted the post and attempted to explain away its meaning, claiming he “assumed” it was a political message but “didn’t realize some folks associate those numbers with violence.”
This explanation has been met with widespread skepticism, particularly given Comey’s long career in law enforcement, where coded language is routinely analyzed.
The controversy comes at a particularly sensitive time, as President Trump has already survived two assassination attempts in the past year alone.
