Former FBI director Comey under investigation over cryptic ‘8647’ post targeting Trump

Former FBI Director James Comey is facing a national probe aft sharing a arguable photograph connected Instagram that sparked outrage among Trump allies. The station showed seashells arranged to signifier the numbers “86 47,” which critics reason was a veiled menace against President Donald Trump, the 47th president of the United States.Comey captioned the image, “Cool ammunition enactment connected my formation walk,” but the numbers raised concerns, peculiarly the usage of “86,” which tin beryllium slang for “getting escaped of” someone. While Merriam-Webster notes the word tin mean “to kill” successful definite contexts, it has not officially adopted that explanation owed to its constricted use.The station was swiftly deleted aft backlash. Comey aboriginal clarified that helium hadn’t realised the numbers could beryllium interpreted arsenic violent.

“I assumed they were a governmental message,” helium wrote, adding, “I reason unit of immoderate kind, truthful I took the station down.”Despite the explanation, the absorption from Trump supporters was fierce. Donald Trump Jr. accused Comey of calling for his father’s assassination, calling the station “demented.” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem went further, saying, “Disgraced erstwhile FBI Director James Comey conscionable called for the assassination of @POTUS Trump.”

Current FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the bureau is cooperating with the US Secret Service successful investigating the matter. “Primary jurisdiction is with the Secret Service, and we, the FBI, volition supply each indispensable support,” Patel said.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff James Blair besides weighed in, calling the station a “clarion telephone to terrorists and hostile regimes” portion the president is overseas successful the Middle East.Comey, who led the FBI from 2013 until helium was fired by Trump successful 2017, is presently promoting his caller transgression novel, *FDR Drive*. His tenure astatine the FBI remains controversial, peculiarly implicit his handling of investigations into Hillary Clinton’s emails and alleged Russian inter...