• Former FBI Director James Comey is under investigation for an Instagram post interpreted as a threat against President Trump.
• The post, showing seashells spelling "8647", sparked outcry from Trump supporters and accusations of advocating violence.
• Comey deleted the post and stated he opposed violence, claiming he was unaware of its interpretations.
• Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced a Secret Service investigation into the matter.
• Trump and Republican officials assert that the numbers suggest a call for assassination.

Former FBI Director James Comey is facing a federal investigation following a social media post that some Trump administration officials interpreted as a call for violence against President Donald Trump. The post featured seashells arranged to form the number "8647", with the caption stating, "Cool shell formation on my beach walk." Numerous Trump allies, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, claim that Comey was suggesting violence against the 47th president, leading to an investigation by the Secret Service, as stated by New York Times and Los Angeles Times.

The term "86" is slang often used in the restaurant industry, meaning to "get rid of" or "to refuse service to," according to Merriam-Webster. However, it has also been viewed in some contexts as meaning "to kill". When pressed on this interpretation, Comey expressed that he hadn't realized the connotation of violence associated with the numbers, arguing he intended to make a political statement and opposing violence of any kind, according to HuffPost and BBC.

Following Comey’s post, outrage erupted within conservative circles, with Donald Trump Jr. accusing Comey directly of calling for his father's assassination. President Trump further claimed that Comey "knew exactly what that meant," referring to the interpretation of "86" as violent, indicating that even a child would understand that implication, as per HuffPost and ABC News.

The Secret Service has noted that it takes "rhetoric like this very seriously," and FBI Director Kash Patel stated that his agency would provide necessary support for the investigation. Noem confirmed that the Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security are actively investigating the post, as stated by Reuters and NPR.

Comey, who served as FBI director from 2013 to 2017 until he was fired by Trump, has previously been critical of the president. He stated that he took down the post to avoid further misunderstanding, emphasizing, "I oppose violence of any kind," highlighting the delicate nature of political commentary in today's media climate, according to HuffPost and BBC.