Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated on Thursday that federal law enforcement is currently examining a social media post by former FBI Director James Comey, which she and other Republicans have interpreted as an incitement to violence against President Donald Trump.

In an Instagram post, Comey captioned a photo of seashells arranged to resemble "86 47" with an observation about an interesting shell formation he encountered during his beach walk.

Several figures within the Trump administration, Noem among them, alleged that Comey was inciting the assassination of the 47th President, prompting Noem to state, "The DHS and Secret Service are investigating this threat and will respond accordingly."

Merriam-Webster, the standard dictionary for The Associated Press, defines the slang term "86" as signifying "to discard," "to eliminate," or "to deny service." The dictionary further observes that a more recent, logically derived sense denotes "to kill," but this definition is excluded due to its novelty and infrequent application.

The post has since been removed. Comey later stated, "I initially shared an image of seashells I encountered during a walk on the beach, mistakenly interpreting them as a political statement. I was unaware that certain individuals associate those numerical configurations with acts of violence."

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

Kash Patel, the current FBI Director, acknowledged his awareness of the post and stated he was in consultation with the Secret Service and its director regarding the matter.

James Blair, White House deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs, observed that the appointment coincided with a sensitive period, considering Trump's ongoing trip to the Middle East.

On X, Blair characterized Jim Comey's statement as a thinly veiled incitement to violence, urging terrorists and hostile regimes to assassinate the President of the United States during his Middle East tour.

James Comey, who helmed the FBI from 2013 to 2017, was controversially dismissed by Trump early in his presidency, a period overshadowed by the Bureau's investigation into alleged collusion between Russian operatives and Trump's 2016 campaign; subsequently, Comey chronicled his career in the acclaimed memoir, "A Higher Loyalty."

Having transitioned into crime fiction, he is currently promoting his latest novel, "FDR Drive," scheduled for release on Tuesday.