ABC Information and CNN, by way of YouTubeCredit score: (Screenshot), ABC Information and CNN, by way of YouTube
Federal authorities are investigating whether or not a message posted on social media by former FBI Director James Comey was meant to be a risk towards President Donald Trump.
Comey, who was fired by Trump in his first time period, posted a picture on Instagram Thursday of seashells within the sand spelling the numbers “8647.”
The quantity “86” usually is used to consult with eliminating one thing, together with a person. Trump is the forty seventh (and forty fifth) U.S. president.
Accompanying the “8647” picture was a message Comey captioned the publish with: “Cool shell formation on my seashore stroll…” he wrote.
Present FBI Director Kash Patel responded late Thursday on X.
“We’re conscious of the latest social media publish by former FBI Director James Comey, directed at President Trump,” Patel posted. “We’re in communication with the Secret Service and [Secret Service] Director [Sean] Curran. Main jurisdiction is with SS on these issues and we, the FBI, will present all crucial help.”
Comey later took the picture down and posted a message on Instagram: “I posted earlier an image of some shells I noticed right this moment on a seashore stroll, which I assumed had been a political message. I didn’t notice some of us affiliate these numbers with violence. It by no means occurred to me however I oppose violence of any form so I took the publish down.”
Trump confronted two assassination makes an attempt final 12 months in the course of the runup to the November presidential election. At a marketing campaign rally in July in Butler, Pennsylvania, a sniper fired on Trump from a close-by roof, grazing his ear and killing a spectator.
Division of Homeland Safety Secretary Kristi Noem mentioned that the Secret Service and DHS had been investigating.
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Anthony Guglielmi, chief of communications for the Secret Service, confirmed the company was conscious of Comey’s posts.
“The Secret Service vigorously investigates something that may be taken as a possible risk towards our protectees,” he mentioned in a press release. “We’re conscious of the social media posts by the previous FBI director and we take rhetoric like this very severely.”
Guglielmi mentioned the Secret Providers doesn’t touch upon protecting intelligence issues.
Comey oversaw the investigation of the now debunked claims that Trump colluded with Russia to win the 2016 presidential marketing campaign.
Syndicated with permission from The Center Square.
