Comey, Seashells, and the Code That Shook Washington
So here’s the story that has Washington—and social media—buzzing. It all started with a seemingly harmless Instagram post by former FBI director James Comey. A simple beach stroll. A photo of seashells arranged to spell out “8647.” The caption? “Cool shell formation.” That’s it. But what happened next took the whole thing into an entirely different stratosphere of controversy.
You see, the number “86” has long had a few meanings in American slang. Traditionally, in restaurants, it means to “remove” or “cancel” an item. But more recently, particularly in law enforcement and military circles, it’s also been used as a euphemism for “eliminate” or even “kill.” Add “47” to the mix—Trump being the 47th president—and suddenly you’ve got a code that some interpreted as a veiled threat.
And that’s exactly how Donald Trump saw it.
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In an interview from Abu Dhabi, Trump didn’t mince words. He accused Comey of calling for his assassination, saying, “A child knows what that meant.” He added that as a former FBI chief, Comey couldn’t possibly be unaware of the implications. The post was taken down quickly after criticism mounted from conservative circles. But the damage, at least politically, was already done.
Comey later clarified that he saw the shells on a walk and thought they looked like a political message—one he didn’t fully understand. Once he realized some people saw the numbers as violent, he deleted it. He emphasized that he opposes violence in any form. Still, the Secret Service wasn’t taking chances and interviewed him for an hour in Washington, D.C.
This wasn’t just a media frenzy—it’s now an official investigation. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed it publicly, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard even went as far as to say Comey should be jailed for “issuing a hit.”
What’s fueling all this? It’s more than just a photo. It’s about the hyper-charged political atmosphere where even a number in the sand can explode into a national controversy. Free speech advocates argue Comey’s post is protected under the First Amendment. Others, particularly in the Trump camp, see it as a dangerous escalation of rhetoric—one that follows two attempts on Trump’s life just last year.
This isn’t the first time the number “86” has made political waves. Critics of President Biden used “8646” merchandise, calling for his impeachment. And “8645” merchandise targeted Trump during his previous term. It’s become a shorthand for political rejection—but this time, it struck a nerve that has the legal and intelligence communities on high alert.
Whether this was a careless misstep or a calculated jab will be up to investigators—and possibly the courts—to decide. But one thing’s clear: a few seashells and a string of numbers have sparked a firestorm that no one saw coming.
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