Former FBI director James Comey ‘called for assassination of Donald Trump’ in suggestive social media post
A social media post made by former FBI director James Comey is under investigation, after some Republicans suggested it was a call to violence against Donald Trump.
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The country's homeland security secretary Kristi Noem confirmed that an investigation had been launched related to a picture of seashells posted by Comey.
In an Instagram post on Thursday, the former FBI director wrote "cool shell formation on my beach walk" under a picture of seashells that appeared to form the shapes for "86 47''.
Numerous Trump administration officials, including Ms Noem, claim his post was a coded message advocating for the assassination of Trump, the 47th president.
The use of 86, a slang term that means “to throw out", "to get rid of" or "to refuse service to,” according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, has proven contentious.
The dictionary notes: "Among the most recent senses adopted is a logical extension of the previous ones, with the meaning of 'to kill'.
Merriam-Webster clarifies that this last use is not as common as the other three.
Comey later deleted the post, and said he was unaware of the potential meaning of the seashell formation.
He wrote: "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," Mr Comey added, "but I oppose violence of any kind so I took the post down."
Ms Noem confirmed that the Department for Homeland Security and the Secret Service is “investigating this threat and will respond appropriately.”
The post sparked outrage among conservatives and Trump supporters on social media, with many accusing Comey of calling for Trump to be assassinated.
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Trump survived an assassination attempt as a Pennsylvania campaign event last year, when a bullet grazed his ear.
The US president’s son, Donald Trump Jr, accused Comey of calling “for my dad to be murdered.”
Current FBI director Kash Patel said he was aware of the post and was conferring with the Secret Service and its director.
James Blair, White House deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs, noted that the post came at a delicate time given that Mr Trump is travelling in the Middle East.
"This is a Clarion Call from Jim Comey to terrorists & hostile regimes to kill the President of the United States as he travels in the Middle East," Mr Blair wrote on X.
Mr Comey, who was FBI director from 2013 to 2017, was fired by Mr Trump during the president's first term amid the bureau's probe into allegations of ties between Russian officials and Mr Trump's 2016 presidential campaign.
Mr Comey wrote about his career in the best-selling memoir "A Higher Loyalty".
He is now a crime fiction writer and is promoting his latest book, "FDR Drive", which is being released on Tuesday.