Ex-FBI director James Comey is still a "bit bewildered" over how an Instagram shot of shells arranged in the sand led to allegations by Donald Trump among others he was calling for the US president's "assassination."
“It’s been a bit of a distraction, honestly,” Comey said with a laugh in Manhattan, while promoting “FDR Drive,” a crime novel releasing this week.
Comey, whom Trump fired in 2017 amid an FBI investigation into potential ties between Russia and the Republican's first presidential campaign, explained he and his wife, Patrice, were returning from a walk on the beach last Thursday when they came upon some shells organized in a way that resembled the numbers 86 and 47.
The couple speculated over whether it was a residential address or a political message. Patrice noted that “86” in some restaurants means they had run out of an ingredient. Comey remembered it was slang for saying something was boring and should be “ditched.”
“And she told me to take a picture of it.' So I did and then we walk home and she asked me to put the photo on Instagram as its kind of a cool thing. I replied, 'You’re right. It’s a cool thing',” he stated.
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, 86 is a slang meaning “to throw out,” “to get rid of” or “to refuse service to.” the dictionary notes: “Among the most recent senses adopted is a logical extension of the previous ones, with the meaning of ’to kill.'”
Trump is America's 47th president.
Comey then recalled Patrice telling him how the image was being interpreted as a call to assassinate Trump, who was shot at during a rally in Buffalo, Pennsylvania in July 2024, ahead of the November 5 presidential election, which the Republican would go on to win.
“Some hours later she (Patrice) said, ‘You know, people on the internet are saying you’re calling for the assassination of Donald Trump. And I said, ’Well, if they’re saying that, I’m taking it down because I don’t want any part of violence'."
Comey quickly pulled the photo, but it had already reached the attention of Trump and other administration officials, including Homeland security secretary Kristi Noem and FBI's current head, Kash Patel. Trump himself has alleged Comey "knew exactly what that (8647) meant."
Comey also confirmed he received a call from the Secret Service and agreed to meet with them in person.
"And so they (Secret Service) gave me a ride to their headquarters, the Washington field office interviewed me. I told them what I just told you. And so I, it seems like a thing that I don’t fully understand and maybe it'll go away now."
“It’s been a bit of a distraction, honestly,” Comey said with a laugh in Manhattan, while promoting “FDR Drive,” a crime novel releasing this week.
Comey, whom Trump fired in 2017 amid an FBI investigation into potential ties between Russia and the Republican's first presidential campaign, explained he and his wife, Patrice, were returning from a walk on the beach last Thursday when they came upon some shells organized in a way that resembled the numbers 86 and 47.
The couple speculated over whether it was a residential address or a political message. Patrice noted that “86” in some restaurants means they had run out of an ingredient. Comey remembered it was slang for saying something was boring and should be “ditched.”
“And she told me to take a picture of it.' So I did and then we walk home and she asked me to put the photo on Instagram as its kind of a cool thing. I replied, 'You’re right. It’s a cool thing',” he stated.
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, 86 is a slang meaning “to throw out,” “to get rid of” or “to refuse service to.” the dictionary notes: “Among the most recent senses adopted is a logical extension of the previous ones, with the meaning of ’to kill.'”
Trump is America's 47th president.
Comey then recalled Patrice telling him how the image was being interpreted as a call to assassinate Trump, who was shot at during a rally in Buffalo, Pennsylvania in July 2024, ahead of the November 5 presidential election, which the Republican would go on to win.
“Some hours later she (Patrice) said, ‘You know, people on the internet are saying you’re calling for the assassination of Donald Trump. And I said, ’Well, if they’re saying that, I’m taking it down because I don’t want any part of violence'."
Comey quickly pulled the photo, but it had already reached the attention of Trump and other administration officials, including Homeland security secretary Kristi Noem and FBI's current head, Kash Patel. Trump himself has alleged Comey "knew exactly what that (8647) meant."
Comey also confirmed he received a call from the Secret Service and agreed to meet with them in person.
"And so they (Secret Service) gave me a ride to their headquarters, the Washington field office interviewed me. I told them what I just told you. And so I, it seems like a thing that I don’t fully understand and maybe it'll go away now."
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