Former FBI Director James Comey is under investigation by the United States Secret Service after posting a cryptic message on social media that appeared to threaten President Donald Trump.
The now-deleted Instagram post, which showed seashells arranged to form the numbers '8647', has been interpreted by Trump allies as an incitement to violence against the President.
Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi confirmed they were aware of the post, stating: "We vigorously investigate anything that can be taken as a potential threat against our protectees."
The incident has sparked outrage among Republicans and prompted swift condemnation from senior Government officials.
The post was published on social media of the former FBI chief
Reuters
In the post, a collection of seashells were arranged to spell out "8647" which Trump allies say carry potentially threatening connotations.
The term "86" is slang used in hospitality and military contexts to mean banning someone or scrapping equipment, but it can also mean to kill someone.
The "47" component is widely understood to reference Donald Trump, who is the 47th US President.
The combination of these numbers has been interpreted as a coded death threat against President Trump, who is currently on an international trip to the Middle East, according to White House officials.
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Former FBI Director James Comey
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Trump allies reacted furiously to the post. White House deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich wrote on X: "While President Trump is currently on an international trip to the Middle East, the former FBI Director puts out what can clearly be interpreted as 'a hit' on the sitting President of the United States -- a message etched in the sand."
Donald Trump Jr also condemned Comey, posting: "Just James Comey casually calling for my dad to be murdered. This is who the Dem-Media worships. Demented!!!!"
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced her department was investigating, stating: "DHS and Secret Service are investigating this threat and will respond appropriately."
Comey quickly deleted the post and claimed ignorance about its implications.
"I didn't realise some folks associate those numbers with violence," he wrote on social media. "It never occurred to me but I oppose violence of any kind, so I took the post down."
Donald Trump Jr slammed the former FBI director
REUTERSCurrent FBI Director Kash Patel responded that the bureau was "aware of the recent social media post by former FBI Director James Comey, directed at President Trump."
"We are in communication with the Secret Service and Director Curran. Primary jurisdiction is with SS [Secret Service] on these matters and we, the FBI, will provide all necessary support," Patel added.
The incident has heightened concerns around presidential security, particularly as Trump survived two assassination attempts last year.
The Secret Service statement that they "take rhetoric like this very seriously" underscores the zero-tolerance approach to potential threats against the President.
Comey, who served as FBI director from 2013 until his termination in May 2017 when Trump began his first term, has had a contentious relationship with the President.
