James Comey, former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, is facing backlash from Republicans over a since-deleted social media post he shared earlier this week. The photo featured numbers that spelled out “86 47,” which some took as a dig against Donald Trump. So, what does “86 47” mean?
Trump’s Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, slammed Comey during a Thursday, May 15, Fox News interview, accusing him of “issuing a hit” on Trump.
“When we have two assassination attempts on the president’s life, when we have people who look to guys like Comey, [who have] been celebrated by MSNBC and the Democrat elite and CNN as the beacon of integrity — the law and order guy, the guy who would tell the truth no matter what the consequences — this is the guy who’s issuing a hit on President Trump, the president that the American people voted for,” Gabbard claimed. “So, it’s guys like Comey and others who call the president the modern-day Nazi, people who are in positions of influence who are saying that President Trump poses an existential threat to our country.”
Below, learn what Comey said in response to the backlash and find out what the term “86” means.
What Did James Comey Share in a Photo?
In a since-deleted Instagram post, Comey shared a photo of seashells that spelled out the numbers “86 47.” The former FBI director captioned the post, “Cool shell formation on my beach walk.”
In response to the uproar, Comey clarified in a follow-up Instagram post on Thursday, May 15, “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 the post down.”
What Does 86 47 Mean?
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, “86” is a common slang term for “reject,” “throw out” or “get rid of.” The dictionary also notes that the term can mean “to kill.” In a sentence, for example, a person can say, “The individual was eighty-sixed from the bar.”
Republicans argued that Comey’s post could have been an incitement of violence against Trump. Since he is the 47th president of the U.S., some accused Comey of wanting to “86” the 47th president.
What Happened to James Comey?
Comey served as the FBI director from 2013 until 2017, when Trump fired him. At the time, Comey was investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election.
