Overview

• James Comey posted, then deleted, an Instagram photo of seashells spelling '86 47,' widely interpreted as a coded call to remove or harm the 47th president, Donald Trump.
• Comey stated he was unaware of the violent connotations of the phrase and claimed his post was misunderstood.
• Deputy Director Dan Bongino publicly criticized Comey, calling the post a disgrace to the FBI and part of a pattern of poor leadership during his tenure.
• The U.S. Secret Service has interviewed Comey, and FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed ongoing coordination with federal agencies to assess any threats.
• Current FBI leadership has used the incident to highlight institutional reforms aimed at addressing dysfunction attributed to Comey's leadership.