President Trump Friday accused James Comey of threatening to “assassinate” him after the previous FBI director posted a photograph of sea shells organized to spell the numbers “8647.”
Trump says the numerical message, which Comey has since deleted from Instagram, quantities to a risk as a result of “86” is slang for eliminating somebody and Trump is the forty seventh president.
“He’s calling for the assassination of the president,” Trump added.
President Donald Trump gestures on stage as he excursions the Al Udeid Air Base on Thursday in Doha, Qatar. (Win McNamee/Getty Pictures)
Comey, a longtime Trump critic who was fired by the president in his first time period, says he didn’t imply any hurt by the numerical message, initially posting on Instagram that he came upon the “cool shell formation on my beach walk.”
Comey shortly deleted the submit after Trump administration officers and different Republicans unleashed a refrain of concern and known as for a felony probe.
“I assumed (the numbers) were a political message,” Comey stated. “I didn’t realize some folks associate the numbers with violence. It never occured to me but I oppose violence so I deleted the post.”
Homeland Safety Secretary Kristi Noem stated federal regulation enforcement is investigating Comey over the submit. She says the message requires the assassination of Trump, who cheated demise final summer season when a would-be murderer opened fireplace on him at a Pennsylvania marketing campaign rally.
“DHS and Secret Service is investigating this threat and will respond appropriately,” Noem wrote.
FBI Director Kash Patel stated the company would “provide support” to the Secret Service and different companies probing the submit. Director of Nationwide Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard stated Comey ought to be arrested.
Regardless of the storm of criticism, the time period “86” doesn’t imply to kill and even violently assault somebody.
Merriam-Webster dictionary says “86” is slang that means “to throw out,” “to get rid of” or “to refuse service to.” It reportedly originated with a time period within the restaurant trade referring to a sold-out menu merchandise.
President Donald Trump shakes fingers with James Comey, then-director of the FBI, in 2017. (Andrew Harrer-Pool/Getty Pictures)
Ex-Rep. Matt Gaetz, a staunch Trump ally, as soon as proudly boasted that he “86’d” a number of institution Republican figures after outmaneuvering them in Congress.
Nevertheless, he later earned Trump’s ire over the bureau’s separate investigation into ties between Russian officers and Trump’s 2016 marketing campaign, although he didn’t disclose the existence of that probe earlier than the American individuals went to the polls.
The one-time lawman is now against the law fiction author. He’s selling his newest e-book, “FDR Drive,” which is being launched on Tuesday.
