Washington DC [US], May 16 (ANI): The United States Secret Service has initiated an investigation into former FBI Director James Comey following a now-deleted Instagram post that some Trump administration officials perceived as a death threat against President Donald Trump, according to The New York Post.
The controversy stems from a photo Comey shared on Instagram, depicting seashells arranged to form the number “8647.” The number raised concerns because “86” can be slang for removing or eliminating something, while “47” is thought to reference Trump as the 47th president. Comey captioned the post, “Cool shell formation on my beach walk.”
Officials from the Trump administration, including President Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., viewed the post as an incitement to violence. FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that the bureau is in contact with the Secret Service and will assist with the investigation. Patel stated, “We are 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 on these matters, and we, the FBI, will provide all necessary support.”
US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem condemned Comey’s post, accusing him of inciting violence against Trump. She stated that both the Department of Homeland Security and the Secret Service are actively investigating the matter. Donald Trump Jr. also criticized Comey, alleging that he was calling for the assassination of his father.
In response, Comey issued a statement clarifying his intentions, saying that he merely shared a picture of shells on his beach walk and did not intend any violent message. “I posted earlier a picture of some shells I saw today on a beach walk, which I assumed were a political message. I didn’t realise 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,” he wrote on Instagram.
Comey, who served as FBI Director from 2013 to 2017, was fired by Trump during his first term. He has been a polarizing figure, especially regarding his handling of investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election and Hillary Clinton’s email controversy. Neither investigation led to charges against Trump or Clinton. (ANI)
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