Former FBI director Comey investigated for alleged Trump assassination threat

Former FBI Director James Comey is under investigation for what law enforcement agencies are characterizing as an assassination threat against President Donald Trump. The Department of Homeland Security and Secret Service are responding to the threat, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said Thursday. Current FBI director Kash Patel said his agency was supporting the investigation.

Comey on Thursday posted a photo of shells on a beach formed into the numbers 8647. The number 86 is an American slang term that can mean “get rid of” or “kill.” The number 47 could refer to Trump, the 47th president. Comey removed the post later on Thursday.

What did Comey say about his post? The former FBI director assumed the message was political and had no idea the numbers could have a violent meaning, he said. He removed the post because he opposes violence, he said.

How did intelligence leaders respond to Comey’s defense? Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said Comey spent enough of his career prosecuting gangsters to know exactly what the numbers meant. He should be held accountable under the full force of the law, she said.

U.S. law penalizes written threats of harm to a President with a fine or up to five years in prison.