Former FBI Director James Comey is under investigation by the Secret Service after sharing and subsequently deleting a social media post that Republicans alleged was an incitement to violence against President Donald Trump.
The Controversial Post
Comey posted on Instagram a photo of seashells that spelled out the numbers "8647." He captioned the photo:
"Cool shell formation on my beach walk."
The number 86 is a slang term whose definitions include "to reject" or "to get rid of," according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. More recently, it has also been used as a term meaning "to kill." Trump is the 47th US president.
Reactions to the Post
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem alleged that Comey’s message was a call for Trump’s assassination, but Comey stated that he opposed violence.
Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi commented:
"We vigorously investigate anything that can be taken as a potential threat against our protectees. We are aware of the social media posts by former FBI Director & we take rhetoric like this very seriously. Beyond that, we do not comment on protective intelligence matters."
Comey deleted his original Instagram post and followed up with another one stating:
“I assumed they were political messages. 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 down my previous post.”
Additional Responses
Current FBI Director Kash Patel responded on social media, saying:
“We’re aware of recent social media posts made by former #FBI Dir @jamescomey directed at @POTUS. Primary jurisdiction over such threats rests w/SS [Secret Service]. We’ll provide all necessary support.”
Others have also weighed in on the controversy. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem tweeted about her interpretation of Comey’s Instagram story, calling him out for making comments that she believes suggest a desire for Trump to be harmed.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino accused Comey’s Instagram story of being "a plea to bad actors/terrorists" who might want to assassinate Trump while he is traveling internationally.
Donald Trump Jr. commented under Scavino’s tweet, writing:
“James Comey casually calls for my dad’s murder.”
I’m Mark W. Lamplugh Jr., a visionary Chief Executive Officer, Board Member, and best-selling Author with over 25 years of experience driving significant revenue growth and optimizing ROI across the healthcare, wellness, and media industries. Throughout my career, I’ve consistently transformed underperforming operations into thriving ventures by building top-tier marketing organizations, implementing data-driven strategies, and leading transformational change. My empathetic, collaborative, and adaptable leadership style has allowed me to cultivate inclusive cultures of innovation, develop and retain top talent, and forge strong partnerships that fuel organizational success.
Adept in executive leadership, strategic business planning, and brand and marketing strategy, I have a proven track record of boosting annual revenues—achieving up to $1.3B in oncology over three years and generating $360M in mental health initiatives. My approach combines strategic vision with hands-on execution, as evidenced by my success in launching innovative facilities, expanding services for addiction and mental health care, and enhancing organizational brand visibility. As author of “The AI Marketing Playbook,” I contribute thought leadership on the integration of artificial intelligence in marketing, a role that showcases my commitment to staying at the forefront of industry innovation.
I also bring my insights and expertise to a broad audience as the host of cable tv & global streaming of “Street Level Marketing Show,” while my writing has been featured in major publications such as Entrepreneur, Business.com, The Startup, and Kivo Daily. Whether I’m implementing targeted digital marketing campaigns that engage over a million individuals monthly or overseeing multi-million dollar budgets to maximize return on investment, I approach every challenge with a combination of strategic planning, creative problem-solving, and unwavering dedication. Above all, I am passionate about expanding access to high-quality addiction and mental health care through innovative solutions that drive both patient outcomes and organizational growth.
Mark serves on the board of One World for Life, National Fire Heritage Center, and the Institute for Responder Wellness.
Mark (https://marklamplugh.com) is one of the top marketing executives in the United States and has revolutionized how companies reach potential clients thru influence, SEO, social, PR, and traditional marketing. His expertise in Marketing, Social Media, Digital Marketing, and Public Relations has generated millions of dollars in revenue for several national companies. Mark documents many of his techniques in his book “Beginners Guide to Social & Digital Media.” and “Marketing Playbook for Social Media,” which was named the top 100 social media marketing books of all time by Book Authority. He’s also a professional advocate for the behavioral and mental health of firefighters and other first responders. Marks articles have been published in Better Marketing, Startup Magazine, Social Media Today, Kivo Daily, Biz Catalyst 360, Fire Engineering, Firehouse Magazine, and several others.
One of his companies, niches, are marketing products and services to the public safety industry and their employees, specifically mental & behavioral health services. He can be reached for comment at ceo@influencemediasolutions.com
23,000 #1 Connections, 40,000,000 US B2B Contacts and 300,000,000 B2b/B2C email contacts as well as 1,000,000+ monthly social media reach. https://marklamplugh.com
