Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR), who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, has formally asked FBI Director Kash Patel to launch an investigation into former FBI Director James Comey. The request comes after a puzzling post from Comey on Instagram, which many interpreted as a veiled threat against former President Donald Trump.
Comey, who served under President Obama before being fired by Trump in 2017, posted a photo showing seashells spelling out the numbers “86 47.” The phrase raised eyebrows — particularly because “86” is slang in some circles for canceling or even eliminating someone, and “47” is believed to reference Trump as the potential 47th president if re-elected.
After backlash, Comey deleted the post and issued an apology. “I shared a photo I thought was a political message from my beach walk,” he wrote. “I had no idea some people connected those numbers to violence. That was never my intent, and I absolutely oppose any form of violence.”
Despite the apology, many — including Trump and his supporters — weren’t buying it. Trump told Fox News’ Bret Baier, “He knew what he was doing. Everyone understands what ‘86 47’ means in this context. This wasn’t an innocent mistake.”
Director Patel confirmed that the FBI is aware of the situation and is in contact with both the Secret Service and Director Sean Curran about the post. Reports suggest Comey has already spoken with the Secret Service, though the outcome remains unclear.
According to Breitbart, Cotton sent a letter to Patel requesting a full review of Comey’s past actions, citing what he called “a history of politicizing investigations” and alleged leaks during Comey’s tenure.
Cotton also echoed concerns raised by Trump, saying the former president recognized the gravity of the message. He praised the Secret Service for taking the situation seriously and acting quickly.
A congressional source noted that Comey could soon face subpoenas, and noncompliance might lead to criminal consequences. The source emphasized that Congressional Republicans are prepared to follow through.
“Thankfully,” the source added, “President Trump has allies like Tom Cotton who are not afraid to call out questionable behavior from figures like Comey.”