Trump Slams Ex-FBI Chief James Comey Following Indictment Over Cryptic 8647 Post
Washington: US President Donald Trump lashed out at former FBI Director James Comey on Wednesday, calling him a “dirty cop” after he was charged over a social media post containing the numbers “8647” that authorities claimed posed a threat against the President. Speaking to reporters, Trump said, “If anyone knows anything about crime, they know 86… It’s a mafia term for ‘Kill Him’… Have you ever seen a movie?… The Mafia calls one of their great friends ’86 him’… When the Mafia wants to kill someone, they use that term. They say ’86, he’s the son of the gun.’ I try to keep the language nice and clear. They don’t use the term ‘son of the gun.’ They use another term…”
Asked if he believed his life was in danger, Trump replied: “Probably. I don’t know. From what I saw there, yes. People like Comey have been a huge danger to politicians and others. Comey is a dirty cop. He’s a very dirty cop. He rigged the election. As you know, he tried to help Hillary Clinton; he ignored a lot of things that should have gone on. I wasn’t involved, but he should have gone on… No, he’s a dirty cop, a crooked man.”
Comey surrendered to law enforcement on Wednesday and appeared in federal court in the Eastern District of Virginia, CNN reported. The hearing lasted less than 10 minutes and the court allowed his release without any release conditions. Judge William Fitzpatrick noted that similar proceedings had not previously imposed restrictions and that there was no urgent need for such measures. Comey is accused of making a threat against the President and transmitting that threat in interstate commerce. The accusations stem from a social media post last May in which Comey shared a photo of seashells arranged in an “86 47” pattern with the caption “cool seashell formation.” The post quickly sparked criticism from Republican leaders and administration officials, who interpreted the post as a coded threat against Trump. Federal prosecutors argued that the sequence was a coded call for violence against the sitting President. In political and “soda stand” slang, the term “86” is often used to mean “get rid of,” “take out,” or in more extreme contexts, “kill.” The number “47” refers to Donald Trump’s status as the 47th President of the United States. Comey, who has been a vocal critic of Trump since his impeachment in 2017, vehemently denies the post is a threat. She deleted the image shortly after it was posted last year and issued a statement at the time. Comey claimed he saw the crust forming while walking on the beach and assumed it was a “cool” political message against the administration. In a video posted on Substack following the indictment, Comey remained defiant. “I’m still innocent. I’m still not afraid,” he said. “This is not what the Department of Justice is supposed to be.”
Comey’s legal team has indicated plans to appeal the case, arguing that the investigation was selective and politically motivated. A date has not yet been set for his trial in North Carolina, where the case will continue.
