In yet another display of tone-deaf arrogance, former FBI Director James Comey is brushing off serious concerns that he posted a not-so-subtle call to assassinate former President Donald Trump — a man who has already survived multiple assassination attempts.
Comey sparked outrage after posting an Instagram photo of seashells arranged in the numbers “86 47.” For most Americans, especially those with common sense, the message was clear: “86” — a well-known slang term for “eliminate” — followed by “47,” a clear reference to Trump, the 47th President of the United States.
Yet when confronted about the image, which prompted a Secret Service investigation, Comey played dumb and claimed the controversy was “crazy.” In a softball interview with MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace — naturally — he said the post was “totally innocent” and expressed only regret over the “distraction,” not the post itself.
“I don’t know how we ended up here,” Comey said, feigning confusion about how a post many viewed as a coded death threat could be controversial in today’s climate. But let’s be real: this is a man who once ran the FBI. He knows full well what “86” means — and so does everyone else.
While Comey insists the image was just a quirky beach find his wife encouraged him to share, even she acknowledged the meaning of “86” as “removal.” Comey himself admitted he associated it with ditching or eliminating something. Yet we’re supposed to believe it was just a light-hearted post? That’s a tough sell — especially after what President Trump has endured.
Let’s not forget: this isn’t a random internet troll we’re talking about. This is a former top law enforcement official, someone entrusted with power, intelligence access, and national security responsibility. And he’s now making jokes — or posting “innocent” beach photos — that appear to allude to violence against a former president.
President Trump himself wasn’t fooled.
“He knew exactly what that meant. A child knows what that meant,” Trump told Fox News’ Bret Baier. “If you’re the FBI director, and you don’t know what that meant, that meant ‘assassination.’”
Exactly. You don’t need to be a linguist or a political operative to decode what “86 47” implies. And in a nation where political violence is escalating and elites act with impunity, this kind of wink-and-nod rhetoric is dangerous — especially from someone like Comey.
Even Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has weighed in, saying Comey should face jail time. His response? Dismiss it as “ridiculous,” while taking smug jabs at the current administration and brushing off accountability yet again.
This is the same James Comey who presided over a deeply politicized FBI, leaked memos to the press, and helped fuel the now-debunked Russia collusion narrative — and now, he wants the American public to believe he’s the victim in the “shell business.”
If there were ever a clearer example of the two-tiered justice system conservatives have warned about, this is it. A conservative posting “86 46” during Biden’s presidency would’ve been dragged before Congress, canceled, and possibly arrested. But because it’s Comey — a Democrat darling — the media laughs it off.
It’s not just “ridiculous,” Mr. Comey. It’s revealing. And the American people are paying attention.
