Former FBI Director James Comey has been charged after posting a photo with the numbers "86 47," which, according to investigators, could have been a veiled hint at a threat to U.S. President Donald Trump. The post was quickly deleted but sparked widespread resonance.
The reason for the accusations was a photograph of shells on a beach in North Carolina, arranged to form the numbers 86 47, which Comey posted in May 2025 — and then deleted. The prosecution believes this was a veiled call to kill Trump, reports BBC.
According to Reuters, the number "86" in American slang can mean "to get rid of" or "to throw someone out," for example, from a bar for drunkenness. Combined with the number "47," which refers to Trump as the 47th president, Comey's post raised suspicions. NBC News adds that, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, 86 can informally mean "to get rid of someone."
"James Comey shamefully endorsed a threat against President Trump and posted it on Instagram for the world to see," said current FBI Director Kash Patel.
The situation surrounding Comey highlights how sharply even ambiguous symbols and statements are perceived in a political context today. The final conclusions will be made by the court, but the case has already become another episode in the protracted confrontation between Comey and Trump.
James Comey served as FBI Director from 2013 to 2017 until he was fired by Donald Trump, whom he had repeatedly criticized. Comey is considered a longtime opponent of Trump. In 2020, he supported Joe Biden's campaign, and in 2024, he supported Kamala Harris's campaign from the Democratic Party.
