GOP Moves To Bar Comey From Holding Federal Employment After Trump ‘Threat’
Former FBI Director James Comey is once again facing the consequences of his own reckless behavior—this time over a cryptic and incendiary Instagram post that many believe was a thinly veiled threat against President Donald Trump.
Comey’s now-deleted post featured a photograph of seashells arranged to form the numbers “86 47.” The numbers sent shockwaves across social media, as “86” is widely understood slang for “eliminate,” and “47” clearly references the 47th President of the United States—President Trump, who dismissed Comey during his first term for failing the American people in his official capacity.
“Cool shell formation on my beach walk,” Comey wrote in the original post before quickly removing it and attempting damage control with a follow-up message.
“I posted earlier a picture of some shells I saw today on a beach walk, which I assumed were a political message,” he claimed. “I didn’t realize 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.”
But for lawmakers, the damage was already done.
As reported by Newsmax, the House Republican Study Committee is responding decisively. A newly introduced resolution aims to ensure Comey is permanently barred from ever holding a position in the federal government again. The measure calls on the Department of Justice to launch a “full and comprehensive investigation” and demands the findings be made public.
Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX), one of the resolution’s co-authors, didn't mince words: “This was a shocking betrayal of the trust once placed in him by the American people,” Pfluger stated, accusing Comey of “the unthinkable: calling for violence against our Commander-in-Chief.”
“That someone who once held one of our nation’s most sacred positions of law enforcement would incite such dangerous rhetoric is not just alarming — it’s disqualifying and un-American,” Pfluger added. “This resolution demands the accountability and transparency the American people deserve, ensuring Comey never again holds a position of public trust.”
President Trump, unsurprisingly, saw right through Comey’s so-called apology.
“He knew exactly what that meant. A child knows what that meant. If you’re the FBI director and you don’t know what that meant, that meant ‘assassination,’ and it says it loud and clear,” the President said during an interview with Fox News host Brett Baier.
The seriousness of the matter has not been lost on federal authorities.
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the agency is collaborating with the Secret Service. “We are in communication with the Secret Service and Director Curran,” he stated on X. “Primary jurisdiction is with SS on these matters and we, the FBI, will provide all necessary support.”
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem echoed that response, posting on X: “DHS and Secret Service is investigating this threat and will respond appropriately.”
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard didn’t hold back during an appearance on Fox News with Jesse Watters. She called out Comey directly, citing the dangerous implications of his message.
“Comey himself admitted in his follow-on message that he knew that this was a political statement,” Gabbard said. “Well, the only reason he knew that, Jesse, was because a little over a month ago, a bunch of anti-Trump, anti-Elon Musk protesters were proliferating the use of this 86-47 slogan, which was a veiled call to action to murder the sitting President of the United States.”
“So for Comey to think that we, the American people, are so stupid as to think that he, as a former FBI Director, former prosecutor, and someone who clearly pays attention to what’s going on, would believe his lie that he didn’t know what this actually was calling for — the dangerousness of this, Jesse, cannot be underestimated,” she warned.
Comey’s beach post may have been deleted, but the backlash is only gaining momentum. Lawmakers, agency heads, and Americans who cherish law, order, and the Constitution are making it clear: inciting political violence will not be tolerated—especially from those who once swore to uphold the law.