Former FBI Director James Comey is back in the spotlight—this time not for his role in the Crossfire Hurricane scandal or the Clinton email probe, but for a cryptic and controversial social media post that’s raised more than a few eyebrows.
Appearing on MSNBC’s “Deadline” Monday, Comey was questioned about a photo he posted to Instagram featuring the numbers “86 47” spelled out in seashells on a beach. The former FBI chief insists the post was “clever,” not a veiled political threat.
If you’re wondering what “86 47” is supposed to mean, you’re not alone. In restaurant lingo, “86” often means to get rid of something — like when an item runs out on the menu. “47,” of course, is a not-so-subtle reference to Donald Trump, the 45th president who is aiming for a second term, making him the potential 47th.
Critics pointed out the combination could easily be interpreted as a coded call to “get rid of” Trump. But Comey says that’s ridiculous.
Comey recounted how the post came to be during a beach walk with his wife Patrice:
“We went to the beach to prepare for this week, which was the launch of my book and to think about the book and to prepare to answer questions about it. And we were walking back towards the road and we saw in the sand someone had arranged shells with numbers,” he said.
According to Comey, it was his wife who noticed the numbers and mentioned the restaurant meaning of “86.” Comey claims that he saw the arrangement as a “clever” and “artistic” political message, and decided to snap a photo and post it to Instagram.
“I thought, what a clever way to express a political view,” he added.
But the reaction online was far from positive. Many critics saw the post as tone-deaf at best, and dangerous at worst — especially given Comey’s very public role in American politics and his history with Trump.
Comey eventually deleted the post, but not because he believed it was wrong. Instead, he says he wanted to distance himself from anything that could be seen as endorsing violence.
“Even if I think it’s crazy, I don’t want to be associated with violence of any kind,” Comey said.
Despite the controversy, Comey says he doesn’t regret posting the picture — not really.
“I regret the distraction and the controversy around it, but again, it’s hard to have regret about something that even in hindsight, looks to me to be totally innocent,” he told MSNBC.
He brushed off accusations that the message had a dark meaning and instead praised the design itself.
“The shells were the same color for each of the letters, with different colors for the letters. It took a lot of work, somebody with artistic flair did that,” he noted, adding that neither he nor his wife had any sinister intent.
Why does a former top federal official — someone who once led the most powerful law enforcement agency in America — think it’s appropriate to engage in this kind of political messaging, even if he believes it’s just “clever” art?
This is the same James Comey who oversaw one of the most politically charged FBI investigations in modern history, including the now-debunked Trump-Russia collusion hoax. And now, instead of reflecting on that legacy, he’s posting cryptic anti-Trump messages with plausible deniability.
For many Americans, especially conservatives, Comey’s actions are just another reminder of how out-of-touch Washington elites have become — cloaking their politics in “art” while distancing themselves from the consequences.
