James Comey, the former FBI Director, has taken the step of disabling comments on his Instagram account following a controversial post that many perceived as a veiled threat against President Donald Trump.
The post in question featured a shell formation on a beach that appeared to spell out "86 47," with "86" potentially interpreted as "eliminate" and "47" as a reference to Trump.
According to Breitbart, the term "86" has its roots in the restaurant industry and does not inherently imply violence. Nonetheless, the post was met with immediate backlash, prompting Comey to remove it. In a subsequent post, Comey explained, "I posted earlier a picture of some shells I saw today on a beach walk, which I assumed were a political message. I didnt 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."
Despite Comey's claim of ignorance regarding the implications of his post, others, including President Trump, were quick to recognize the potential meaning behind "86 47." The incident has resulted in the removal of the post and a somewhat apologetic acknowledgment from Comey, leaving his Instagram account devoid of public commentary.
Comey's tenure as FBI Director ended when he was dismissed by President Trump during his first term. Since then, Comey has been a vocal critic of the Republican leader and extended his support to Vice President Kamala Harris in the previous election.
This latest incident adds another layer to the ongoing tension between Comey and the Trump administration, highlighting the contentious nature of their relationship.
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