The FBI says it’s pulling agents from critical missions to handle a spike in Trump threats triggered by James Comey’s cryptic Instagram post.
At a Glance
- Former FBI Director Comey’s “86 47” Instagram post sparked copycat threats against Trump
- Current FBI Director Kash Patel says agents have been diverted from child predator, drug, and terror cases
- Comey told the Secret Service his post was “innocent” and expects no charges
- Trump says Comey’s message was an assassination reference “a child” could understand
- FBI leadership laments political stunts hampering national security priorities
“Beachside” Post Leads to Bureau-Wide Disruption
A seemingly cryptic social media post by former FBI Director James Comey has ignited a wave of copycat threats targeting former President Donald Trump—threats the FBI is now scrambling to investigate. Current Director Kash Patel told Fox News the May 15 post, featuring seashells arranged to read “86 47,” has triggered a full-scale diversion of resources from high-priority investigations.
“Do you know how many copycats we’ve had to investigate as a result of that beachside venture from the former director?” Patel asked. “Do you know how many agents I’ve had to take offline from chasing down child sex predators, fentanyl traffickers, terrorists… because people think a threat to the life of the president is a joke?”
Watch Patel’s interview: FBI Director Responds to Threat Surge.
Critical Missions on Pause
While the FBI has not disclosed exact figures, Patel emphasized that the resource strain is “significant.” Agents pulled from anti-trafficking, narcotics, and counterterror operations have been reassigned to threat analysis and online investigations stemming from the post.
As reported by the New York Post, the bureau’s leadership is frustrated by what it sees as politically motivated disruptions undermining public safety. Patel noted: “That’s what I’m having to deal with every single day.”
The post in question was quickly deleted by Comey but had already gone viral by then. “86” is often interpreted as slang for “eliminate,” while “47” references Trump’s numeric position as the 47th president—leading to widespread speculation that the post was a veiled assassination threat.
Comey Denies Malice, Trump Rejects Excuse
Comey has since been interviewed by the Secret Service, maintaining that the post was a misunderstanding. He reportedly expects no charges to result from the investigation.
President Trump, however, rejected that narrative outright. “He knew exactly what that meant,” Trump told reporters. “A child knows what that meant. If you’re the FBI director and you don’t know what that meant, that meant ‘assassination.’ It says it loud and clear.”
The incident has reignited partisan tensions and added pressure on the FBI, now tasked with protecting high-profile political figures while maintaining core law enforcement responsibilities. As political rhetoric intensifies heading into the 2024 election cycle, law enforcement officials warn that public discourse—no matter how cryptic—can have real-world consequences.
