Former FBI Director James Comey has come under intense and immense scrutiny after he posted a message that many are interpreting as a threat on President Donald Trump’s life.
In a since-deleted Instagram post, Comey posted an image made up of seashells and stones (seemingly at a beach) that spelled out the numbers “8647.”
You can see that image — saved by others on social media — below:
Former FBI Director James Comey is calling for the assassination of President Trump.
“86” means “to kill, to murder; to execute judicially.” pic.twitter.com/7KZfioYHxa
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) May 15, 2025
As conservative pundit Benny Johnson explains, “86” is often a shorthand to eliminate someone — often with implied lethality.
(It can also be used in a restaurant sense, as in, you “86” something off the menu, which appears to be what Comey and other supporting Democrats claim to have meant in sharing or supporting the post.)
Comey’s message was picked up by other Trump critics and Democrats, like liberal pundit Ed Krassenstein:
It’s time! pic.twitter.com/C8b54Tam74
— Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) May 15, 2025
Was Comey calling for Trump’s assassination?
Backlash to Comey’s use of “8647” was swift.
“Just James Comey casually calling for my dad to be murdered,” Donald Trump Jr. posted on social media platform X. “This is who the Dem-Media worships. Demented!!!!”
Others were less outraged at the purported message itself, and more at the juvenile nature of the message:
James Comey held himself up as a bastion of fairness and moral rectitude. Now, he makes cringe posts like a childless 50-year-old liberal woman on Facebook.
The entire country should be grateful Trump put this weirdo out to pasture. pic.twitter.com/4CHnBlhtxU
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) May 15, 2025
After removing his original post, Comey posted a follow-up message on Instagram, 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. It never occurred to me but I oppose violence of any kind so I took the post down.”
Perhaps also feeling some of that heat, Krassenstein at least offered a tepid defense of this new, viral code for the left.
For the record, I am 100% against violence in any form. Stop creating bogus meanings to try and investigate your political opponents.
8647 means “remove Trump from office.”
If you are creating any other meaning you are the ones who are going to end up inciting the violence.
— Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) May 15, 2025
Krassenstein wrote a post insisting that “8647 means ‘remove Trump from office’”shortly after his original image. “If you are creating any other meaning you are the ones who are going to end up inciting violence.”
Krassenstein noted that he’s “100% against violence in any form.”
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