Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated on Thursday that federal law enforcement agencies are investigating a social media post by former FBI Director James Comey, which she and other Republican members have characterized as an incitement to violence against President Donald Trump.

In an Instagram post, Comey captioned a photo of seashells, seemingly arranged to resemble "86 47," with the remark, "Exquisite shell architecture graces my beachside promenade."

Several Trump administration officials, Noem included, have interpreted Comey's remarks as an incitement to violence against Trump, whom they mistakenly identify as the 47th president. Noem stated that the Department of Homeland Security and the Secret Service are examining the potential threat and will respond accordingly.

Merriam-Webster, the dictionary of record for The Associated Press, defines "86" as slang signifying "to discard," "eliminate," or "refuse service." It acknowledges that "one of the more recent senses is a logical extension of the older ones, meaning 'to kill,'" but clarifies, "we do not yet record this usage, as it remains relatively new and infrequent."

The post was subsequently removed; Comey later explained, "I shared a picture of seashells I found on a beach walk today, naively believing it apolitical. I hadn't anticipated anyone interpreting the arrangement of the shells as a politically charged message or associating the configuration with violence."

Comey's initial post ignited a firestorm of conservative outrage across social media, culminating in Donald Trump Jr.'s incendiary accusation that Comey had effectively called for his father's assassination.

Current FBI Director Kash Patel has stated he was aware of the post and is in communication with the Secret Service and its director regarding the matter.

James Blair, White House deputy chief of staff for legislative, political, and public affairs, noted that the op-ed's publication was particularly inopportune, coinciding with a sensitive juncture during Trump's visit to the Middle East.

"Blair posted on X that Jim Comey's statement constituted an overt incitement to violence against the U.S. President by terrorists and hostile regimes, particularly while the President was traveling in the Middle East."

James Comey, who served as FBI Director from 2013 to 2017, was dismissed by President Trump early in his presidency amidst the Bureau's investigation into alleged collusion between Russian officials and the Trump 2016 presidential campaign; Comey subsequently chronicled his career in the bestselling memoir, "A Higher Loyalty."

Currently, he is a crime fiction novelist promoting his latest book, "FDR Drive," slated for release on Tuesday.