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James Comey Trump threat row: Gretchen Whitmer, Matt Gaetz's old ‘86’ claims surface
Former FBI Director James Comey is being investigated for his cryptic Instagram post
Former FBI Director James Comey is being investigated for his cryptic Instagram post that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem claimed was a call for violence against President Donald Trump. As MAGA and other Republicans called for Comey's arrest, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer's old photos have surfaced.
Earlier on Thursday, Comey posted a shell formation on social media. The seashells appeared to form the shapes for ‘86 47’. He wrote in the caption: ‘cool shell formation on my beach walk’.
Donald Trump Jr, the president's eldest son, was among the first to call out Comey, alleging that the ex-FBI chief is calling for his father's ‘murder’. Numerous MAGA influencers and administration officials claimed that he was advocating for the assassination of Trump.
Read More: What does 8647 mean? James Comey deletes controversial Instagram photo, says 'I oppose violence'
“DHS and Secret Service is investigating this threat and will respond appropriately,” Noem wrote on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.
The post has since been deleted. Comey wrote on social media, “I posted earlier a picture of some shells I saw today on a beach walk, which I assumed were a political message. I didn’t 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.”
According to Merriam-Webster, 86 is slang meaning ‘to throw out’ or ‘to get rid of’.
Meanwhile, Gretchen Whitmer's 2020 NBC interview, where an ‘86 45’ sign could be seen in the background, surfaced. The Michigan Democrat was criticized back then for the display.
Interestingly, former Florida lawmaker and pick for Trump's attorney general, Matt Gaetz, had also made ‘86’ claims last year.
“We’ve now 86’d: McCarthy, McDaniel, McConnell. Better days are ahead for the Republican Party,” he had tweeted following McConnell's stepping down announcement.
Meanwhile, the White House deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs, James Blair, slammed Comey for his post.
“This is a Clarion Call from Jim Comey to terrorists & hostile regimes to kill the President of the United States as he travels in the Middle East,” Blair wrote on X.
