Ex-FBI boss James Comey investigated for seashell photo seen as threat to Trump

Former FBI manager James Comey is being investigated by the Secret Service aft helium shared past deleted a societal media post, which Republicans alleged was an incitement to unit against President Donald Trump.

Comey posted connected Instagram a photograph of seashells that spelled the numbers "8647", which helium captioned: "Cool ammunition enactment connected my formation walk."

The fig 86 is simply a slang word whose definitions see 'to reject' oregon 'to get escaped of', according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, which besides notes that it has much precocious been utilized arsenic a word meaning 'to kill'.

Trump is the 47th US president. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem alleged the connection was a telephone for the assassination of Trump, but Comey said helium opposed violence.

In a station successful X, Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said: "We vigorously analyse thing that tin beryllium taken arsenic a imaginable menace against our protectees.

"We are alert of the societal media posts by the erstwhile FBI Director & we instrumentality rhetoric similar this precise seriously. Beyond that, we bash not remark connected protective quality matters."

Comey deleted the Instagram post, saying successful a follow-up that helium "assumed [the oversea shells] were a governmental message".

"I didn't recognize immoderate folks subordinate those numbers with violence," helium added. "It ne'er occurred to maine but I reason unit of immoderate benignant truthful I took the station down."

Trump survived 2 assassination attempts past year.

Current FBI Director Kash Patel responded connected societal media, saying that the bureau was "aware of the caller societal media station by erstwhile FBI Director James Comey, directed astatine President Trump".

"We are successful connection with the Secret Service and Director Curran. Primary jurisdiction is with SS [Secret Service] connected these matters and we, the FBI, volition supply each indispensable support."

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said connected X: "Disgraced erstwhile FBI Director James Comey conscionable called for the assassination of Trump."

She said her section and the Secret Service would analyse the matter.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino posted connected X, accusing Comey of "a plea to atrocious actors/terrorists to assassinate the POTUS' portion traveling internationally", referring to the president's existent circuit of the Middle East.

The president's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, besides responded connected X, commenting: "James Comey causally [sic] calling for my dada to beryllium murdered."

Comey served arsenic the FBI's manager betwixt 2013-17.

He had a tumultuous tenure that included overseeing the high-profile enquiry into Democratic campaigner Hillary Clinton's email conscionable weeks earlier the 2016 predetermination that she ended up losing to Trump.

He was fired by Trump amid an probe into Russian interference successful the 2016 election.