On Thursday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated that federal law enforcement is investigating a social media post by former FBI Director James Comey. She and other Republicans believe the post encourages violence against President Donald Trump.

In an Instagram post, Comey captioned a photo of seashells, seemingly arranged to resemble "86 47," with the comment, "Great seashell architecture on my beach walk."

Several officials from the Trump administration, including Noem, suggested that Comey's statements could be interpreted as inciting violence against Trump. Noem stated that the Department of Homeland Security and the Secret Service were examining the potential threat and would respond accordingly.

Merriam-Webster, a dictionary favored by The Associated Press, defines "86" as slang meaning "to discard," "to eliminate," or "to refuse service." It notes that a more recent extension of the term's meaning, "to kill," is not yet included in their official definition due to its novelty and limited usage.

The post was subsequently removed, after which Comey wrote, "I uploaded a photo of some seashells I found on a beach walk, which I now realize could be interpreted as a political statement. I didn't anticipate anyone associating the number of shells with violence."

Comey's initial post sparked outrage among conservatives on social media, with Donald Trump Jr. accusing him of inciting violence against his father.

Kash Patel, the current FBI Director, stated he was aware of the post and is in communication with the Secret Service and its director.

James Blair, a senior White House staffer responsible for legislative, political, and public affairs, noted that the post appeared at a sensitive time during Trump's trip to the Middle East.

"Blair wrote on X that Jim Comey's statement was a blatant incitement to terrorists and hostile regimes to assassinate the US President during his trip to the Middle East."

James Comey, who directed the FBI from 2013 to 2017, was dismissed by President Trump early in his term. This happened amidst the agency's investigation into alleged links between Russian officials and Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. Comey later wrote about his career in the bestselling memoir, "A Higher Loyalty."

He is currently a crime novelist promoting his latest book, "FDR Drive," which is scheduled for release on Tuesday.