James Comey Under Fire Over Instagram Post Seen as Threat to Trump

Former FBI Director James Comey is under investigation by the U.S. Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security after a now-deleted Instagram post sparked allegations that he made a veiled threat against President Donald Trump’s life. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed Thursday that the post, which included the number sequence “8647,” is being treated as a potential security concern.

Comey’s post featured a photo of a shell arrangement on a beach, with the caption highlighting the numbers “8647.” While seemingly innocuous at first glance, critics quickly pointed out that “86” is colloquially understood to mean “eliminate” or “get rid of,” and “47” could refer to Trump as the 47th president of the United States. Some officials and Trump allies interpreted the combination as an implied call for violence.

“Disgraced former FBI Director James Comey just called for the assassination of @POTUS Trump,”  Kristi Noem posted on X, adding that DHS and the Secret Service were actively investigating the matter. Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi confirmed the agency’s involvement, saying it takes all potential threats to its protectees seriously.

Disgraced former FBI Director James Comey just called for the assassination of @POTUS Trump.

DHS and Secret Service is investigating this threat and will respond appropriately.

— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) May 15, 2025

James Comey has since issued a statement denying any malicious intent behind the post. “I didn’t realise some folks associate it with violence,” he said. “That didn’t occur to me when I saw it, but I am opposed to violence in all circumstances, so I took it down.”

Despite the clarification, the backlash has been swift. Donald Trump Jr. accused Comey of “casually calling for my dad to be murdered,” while Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) called for Comey’s arrest. Chris LaCivita, Trump’s former campaign manager, went so far as to say that he would have ordered a raid on Comey’s home had he been in charge.

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

FBI Director Kash Patel has stated the bureau is ready to assist the Secret Service if needed, and multiple Republican lawmakers are now calling for a joint congressional investigation. Representative Andy Ogles has sent a formal letter to Kash Patel and Secret Service Director Sean Curran urging immediate action.

James Comey, dismissed by Donald Trump in 2017 after opening an investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian operatives, has long been controversial across the political spectrum. His decision to publicly reopen the Hillary Clinton email probe just days before the 2016 election drew sharp criticism from Democrats, while his outspoken criticism of Trump following his firing has made him a recurring target among conservatives.

The controversy surrounding James Comey’s post comes amid heightened concern over political violence, especially after two recent assassination attempts against Trump during the 2024 campaign cycle. One of those incidents, a shooting at a Pennsylvania rally, left Trump injured and a supporter dead. Another attempt was thwarted near Mar-a-Lago after a man with a rifle was apprehended outside Trump’s golf course.

While James Comey maintains his ‘8647’ post was misunderstood, the investigation underscores the sensitive political climate—and the real consequences of even perceived threats in the age of social media.