Ex-FBI chief Comey probed by Secret Service over Trump seashell post

Former FBI Director James Comey was interviewed by the US Secret Service on Friday at their Washington, D.C. headquarters following a now-deleted Instagram post that sparked outrage among Republicans.

The post featured a photo of seashells arranged to spell "8647," which some interpreted as a coded call for violence against President Donald Trump, the 47th US president.

The term "86" is slang that can mean "to get rid of" but has recently been associated with "kill" in certain contexts.

Comey, who was fired by Trump in 2017, voluntarily participated in the hour-long questioning and was not detained.

The controversy erupted after Trump, in a Fox News interview, claimed Comey’s post was a clear incitement to assassination, stating, “A child knows what that meant.” Trump, who survived two assassination attempts last year, left any decision on charges to Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Comey deleted the post amid backlash and clarified on Instagram that he saw the shells during a beach walk and thought they were a political message, not a call to violence. “I oppose violence of any kind,” he wrote.

However, prominent Republicans, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, condemned the post, with Noem confirming the Secret Service’s investigation and Gabbard calling for Comey’s imprisonment.

The incident remains under investigation as authorities assess the intent behind the cryptic post.