Former FBI director James Comey has been charged by the Department of Justice for allegedly calling for the assassination of Donald Trump—by posting a picture of seashells on Instagram. The indictment claims the photograph, which displayed the numbers '8647' formed by shells on a North Carolina beach, was 'a serious expression of an intent to do harm to the president of the United States.'
Comey removed the post last May after online conservatives interpreted it as veiled advocacy for political violence. In a video on Substack Tuesday, he stated: 'Nothing has changed. I’m still innocent; I’m still not afraid. I still believe in an independent justice system.'
This is not the first time the DOJ has targeted Comey. Last year, then-U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Lindsey Halligan accused him of lying to Congress. That case was dismissed without trial after Halligan was ruled to have overstayed her term. Many viewed the previous attempt as part of the Trump administration's efforts to pursue old adversaries.
What does 8647 mean?
According to Comey, he came across the shells already arranged in that formation during a walk with his wife, who first noticed them. He 'assumed they were a political message' but claimed not to understand it. However, opponents alleged it contained a direct threat against the president. According to Merriam-Webster, to '86' means 'to throw out' or 'get rid of,' originating from 1930s slang for 'sold out.' The number 47 is believed to refer to Trump as the 47th president. A book titled The History and Stories of the Best Bars of New York (2006) notes that '86' as a verb may originate from Chumley’s pub at 86 Bedford St in Manhattan, which ejected disorderly patrons. Merriam-Webster acknowledges 'to kill' as a modern usage but has not adopted it due to its recency.
Outraged Republicans claimed the combination constituted a direct threat against the president’s life. The uproar led Comey to delete the image, though he defended his actions: '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.'
Who is James Comey?
Comey, 65, began his career as a lawyer and became the seventh director of the FBI in 2013 under President Barack Obama. His tenure ended in May 2017 when President Trump fired him four months into his first term. Comey had been leading the investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election to Trump’s advantage. Trump later called Comey 'a terrible guy' and criticized FBI leadership as 'not clean.'
Initial reaction to the picture
Donald Trump Jr., White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino, then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard all claimed the image was an overt call for assassination. Gabbard noted Trump had already faced two assassination attempts. Comey’s successor, Kash Patel, said the Secret Service was investigating, and MAGA influencer Laura Loomer fueled outrage on social media.
