Former FBI director James Comey was interviewed by the Secret Service on Friday following a social media post that some Republicans claimed was a veiled threat against US President Trump.
The interview was part of an ongoing investigation by the Trump administration to help authorities whether Comey’s post intended to communicate a threat to the President. A claim he flatly denied, according to news agency AP.
At issue is an Instagram post from Thursday in which Comey wrote "cool shell formation on my beach walk" under a picture of seashells that appeared to form the shapes for "86 47."
Merriam-Webster, the dictionary used by The Associated Press, says 86 is slang meaning "to throw out," "to get rid of" or "to refuse service to." It notes: "Among the most recent senses adopted is a logical extension of the previous ones, with the meaning of to kill.'
Comey quickly deleted the post saying, "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.”
Numerous Trump administration officials said that Comey was advocating the assassination of Trump, the 47th president. FBI director Kash Patel said the bureau was also supporting the investigation.
In a post on X, homeland security secretary Kristi Noem said she would "take all measures necessary to ensure the protection" of Trump. The Secret Service, which is part of her department, is handling the case.
Talking about it Friday during an interview Trump 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."
He added that decision to file any charges would be up to attorney general Pam Bondi, though the bar for proving comments or posts as direct threats of violence is high.
T rump and Comey’s strained relationship of nearly a decade
James Comey was serving as FBI director when Donald Trump became president in 2017. He had been appointed by President Barack Obama and previously served as a senior justice department official in President George W Bush’s administration.
One key moment came when Trump, during a private dinner, asked Comey to pledge personal loyalty — a request that made Comey uneasy enough to record it in a memo at the time.
Trump fired Comey in May 2017 while the FBI was investigating possible connections between Trump’s campaign and Russia. That investigation was later led by special counsel Robert Mueller, who concluded that although Russia interfered in the 2016 election and the Trump campaign welcomed the assistance, there wasn’t enough evidence to charge anyone with criminal conspiracy.
The interview was part of an ongoing investigation by the Trump administration to help authorities whether Comey’s post intended to communicate a threat to the President. A claim he flatly denied, according to news agency AP.
At issue is an Instagram post from Thursday in which Comey wrote "cool shell formation on my beach walk" under a picture of seashells that appeared to form the shapes for "86 47."
Merriam-Webster, the dictionary used by The Associated Press, says 86 is slang meaning "to throw out," "to get rid of" or "to refuse service to." It notes: "Among the most recent senses adopted is a logical extension of the previous ones, with the meaning of to kill.'
Comey quickly deleted the post saying, "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.”
Numerous Trump administration officials said that Comey was advocating the assassination of Trump, the 47th president. FBI director Kash Patel said the bureau was also supporting the investigation.
In a post on X, homeland security secretary Kristi Noem said she would "take all measures necessary to ensure the protection" of Trump. The Secret Service, which is part of her department, is handling the case.
Today, federal agents from @SecretService interviewed disgraced former FBI Director Comey regarding a social media post calling for the assassination of President Trump.
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) May 16, 2025
I will continue to take all measures necessary to ensure the protection of @POTUS Trump. This is an ongoing…
Talking about it Friday during an interview Trump 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."
He added that decision to file any charges would be up to attorney general Pam Bondi, though the bar for proving comments or posts as direct threats of violence is high.
T rump and Comey’s strained relationship of nearly a decade
James Comey was serving as FBI director when Donald Trump became president in 2017. He had been appointed by President Barack Obama and previously served as a senior justice department official in President George W Bush’s administration.
One key moment came when Trump, during a private dinner, asked Comey to pledge personal loyalty — a request that made Comey uneasy enough to record it in a memo at the time.
Trump fired Comey in May 2017 while the FBI was investigating possible connections between Trump’s campaign and Russia. That investigation was later led by special counsel Robert Mueller, who concluded that although Russia interfered in the 2016 election and the Trump campaign welcomed the assistance, there wasn’t enough evidence to charge anyone with criminal conspiracy.
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