Former FBI Director James Comey has deleted his entire Instagram account after backlash over a cryptic post many Americans believe was a veiled threat against President Donald Trump.
The post, which featured seashells arranged in the sand to display the numbers “8647,” immediately raised red flags among Trump allies, law enforcement officials, and concerned citizens.
The number “86” is widely recognized as slang for eliminating or killing someone, while “47” is a clear reference to Trump’s position as the 47th president. Taken together, many interpreted the message as a disturbing call to “86 47”—in other words, to harm or kill President Trump.
Comey captioned the image, “Cool shell formation on my beach walk,” but his attempt to pass it off as innocent was quickly called out as disingenuous.
Outrage and Official Action
The firestorm erupted quickly. Donald Trump Jr. didn’t mince words in his response, posting on X, “Just James Comey casually calling for my dad to be murdered.”
Just James Comey causally calling for my dad to be murdered.
This is who the Dem-Media worships. Demented!!!! pic.twitter.com/4LUK6crHAT
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) May 15, 2025
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem echoed the concerns, saying Comey’s