‘Directed at President Trump’: Kash Patel reacts to former FBI chief Comey’s deleted ‘86 47’ post

Primary jurisdiction is with SS on these matters and we, the FBI, will provide all necessary support, said Patel.

The U.S. Secret Service has launched an investigation into a now-deleted Instagram post by former FBI Director James Comey, which featured seashells arranged to spell out the numbers “86 47” - a message that critics claim was a veiled threat against US President Donald Trump.

The image, shared with the caption “Cool shell formation on my beach walk…”, quickly drew condemnation from Trump allies and White House officials, as per a Fox News report. They alleged that the numbers carried sinister undertones - with “86” often used as slang for “eliminate” or “kill,” and “47” interpreted as a reference to Trump’s current presidential designation.

The post triggered swift backlash from lawmakers, members of the Trump family, including Donald Trump Jr., and conservative commentators.

"Just James Comey causally calling for my dad to be murdered....This is who the Dem-Media worships. Demented!!!!" wrote Donald Trump Jr. on X.

Just James Comey causally calling for my dad to be murdered.This is who the Dem-Media worships. Demented!!!! pic.twitter.com/4LUK6crHAT

Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) May 15, 2025

Facing mounting criticism, Comey deleted the post within hours.

The incident comes amid heightened sensitivity following two assassination attempts on Trump in the past year, the most recent of which left the former president injured and resulted in the death of a bystander.

Reacting to the controversy on Friday, Kash Patel, director of FBI, said in a statement on X, “We are aware of the recent social media post by former FBI Director James Comey, directed at President Trump. We are in communication with the Secret Service and Director Curran. Primary jurisdiction is with SS on these matters and we, the FBI, will provide all necessary support.”

We are aware of the recent social media post by former FBI Director James Comey, directed at President Trump. We are in communication with the Secret Service and Director Curran. Primary jurisdiction is with SS on these matters and we, the FBI, will provide all necessary support.FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) May 15, 2025

In response to the post, White House Deputy Chief of Staff and Cabinet Secretary Taylor Budowich called Comey’s action “deeply concerning.”

“While President Trump is currently on an international trip to the Middle East, the former FBI Director puts out what can clearly be interpreted as ‘a hit’ on the sitting President of the United States — a message etched in the sand,” Budowich wrote on X.

While President Trump is currently on an international trip to the Middle East, the former FBI Director puts out what can clearly be interpreted as a hit on the sitting President of the United Statesa message etched in the sand.This is deeply concerning to all of us and is pic.twitter.com/RF0Dl3t1JF Taylor Budowich (@Taylor47) May 15, 2025

“This is deeply concerning to all of us and is being taken seriously.”

This is not the first time federal authorities have investigated potential threats tied to political commentary. In February 2020, comedian John Mulaney came under FBI scrutiny after making a joke during an SNL monologue referencing Julius Caesar’s assassination in a segment that many interpreted as targeting then-President Trump. While no charges were filed, the incident sparked debate over the limits of satire and perceived threats toward public officials.