Kristi Noem, the Secretary of Homeland Security, stated on Thursday that federal law enforcement is examining a social media post by ex-FBI Director James Comey. She and other Republicans believe the post seems to encourage violence against President Donald Trump.

James Comey shared a photo on Instagram of seashells he found on the beach, noting their "cool shell formation," which seemed to resemble the numbers "86 47."

Several former officials from Trump's administration, like Noem, claimed Comey was suggesting Trump should be killed. Noem stated that the Department of Homeland Security and the Secret Service were looking into the threat and would take suitable action.

According to Merriam-Webster, the dictionary used by the Associated Press, the slang term "86" means "to throw out," "to get rid of," or "to refuse service." The dictionary also mentions that a newer meaning, "to kill," exists, but it's not included due to its recent appearance and infrequent use.

The post has been removed. Comey later wrote, "I shared a photo of shells I found on a beach, thinking they were a political statement. I didn't know some people connect those numbers with violent acts."

Comey's initial online post caused anger among conservatives, especially on social media. Donald Trump Jr. even claimed Comey was encouraging violence against his father.

FBI Director Kash Patel stated he knew about the message and was discussing it with the Secret Service and its director.

James Blair, a senior White House advisor, pointed out that the role was especially challenging because Trump was travelling in the Middle East at that moment.

Blair posted on X, claiming that Jim Comey's words could be seen as an invitation to terrorists and hostile governments to assassinate the US President during his trip to the Middle East.

Comey, the former FBI director (2013-2017), was dismissed by Trump early in his presidency while the FBI investigated possible links between Russian officials and Trump's 2016 campaign. Comey later wrote about his experiences in the successful memoir "A Higher Loyalty."

He's now writing crime novels and promoting his newest book, "FDR Drive," which comes out on Tuesday.