Trump Accuses Comey of Threat After Seashell Instagram Post

President Donald Trump has launched a fresh attack on former FBI Director James Comey over an Instagram post that has sparked a heated controversy.

The post in question showed Comey walking on a beach and snapping a picture of the letters “8647” formed by seashells on the sand. He captioned it simply, “Cool shell formation on my beach walk.”

While Comey has insisted that the post was innocuous and he did not intend any violence or threat, some of Trump’s allies, including Laura Loomer, have interpreted the post as a veiled call for assassination. They claim that “86” is a slang term often associated with getting rid of someone, and that Comey, due to his history with Trump, was aiming a threat at the president.

However, the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “86” in a broader sense, including meanings like “to dismiss” or “to remove.” Comey himself has stated that he saw the message in the shells’ placement as political but did not realize that it could be perceived as a threat against Trump.

Trump, in an interview excerpt aired on Friday, dismissed Comey’s explanation, stating that anyone, even a child, would understand the post as a call for assassination. He also reiterated his long-standing criticism of Comey, labeling him a “dirty cop” and suggesting that Comey still harbors resentment towards him.

The controversy has prompted a response from the U.S. Secret Service, which has launched an investigation into Comey’s post. The agency takes threats against the president very seriously and has a protocol for thoroughly investigating any potential danger.

Several other high-ranking officials, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, have also weighed in on the matter, expressing concerns about the post and calling for Comey to face consequences.