Homeland Security Secretary Kristie Noem stated on Thursday that federal law enforcement is investigating social media posts made by former FBI Director James Comey. She and other Republicans suggest these posts contain messages that encourage violence against President Donald Trump.

In a recent Instagram post, Cummy shared a photo of seashells arranged to resemble the numbers "86 47," captioning it "A neat seashell arrangement from my beach walk."

Several individuals connected to the Trump administration, including figures like Noem, have alleged that Comey supported the assassination of President Trump, the 47th President. Noem stated that the Department of Homeland Security and the Secret Service are investigating this threat and will respond appropriately.

According to Merriam-Webster, the dictionary used by the Associated Press, "86" is a slang term meaning to discard, eliminate, or refuse service. While the dictionary notes that the meaning has recently been logically extended to "kill," it has not formally included this definition due to its limited usage and recent origin.

The post was later removed, and Cummi added, "Today, I uploaded a picture of a shell I found while walking on the beach, and I didn't realize it could be seen as a political message. I didn't know that some people associate the number with violence."

Comey's first posts caused anger among conservatives, and Donald Trump Jr. accused Comey of calling for his father's assassination.

Current FBI Director Kash Patel has acknowledged this post and stated that he is consulting with the Secret Service and its director.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Legislative, Political and Intergovernmental Affairs, James Blair, noted the timing of the post was particularly sensitive, given Trump was currently touring the Middle East. Blair stated on X (formerly Twitter) that, "This is a clear call from James Comey for terrorists and hostile regimes to assassinate the President of the United States during his trip to the Middle East."

James Comey, who served as FBI Director from 2013 to 2017, was dismissed during President Trump's first term while investigating alleged connections between Russian officials and Trump's 2016 election campaign. Comey later chronicled his career in his best-selling memoir, *A Higher Loyalty*.

Currently, he works as a crime fiction writer and is promoting his newest book, "FDR Drive," which will be released on Tuesday.