In an extraordinary public rebuke that has further inflamed the nation’s political divisions, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has called for the imprisonment of former FBI Director James Comey, accusing him of implicitly threatening President Donald Trump’s life in a now-deleted Instagram post.
The controversy centers on a photograph posted to Comey’s verified account, showing seashells arranged on a beach to spell out “86 47.” While liberals have pretended the image was benign, the combination of numbers carried loaded significance for critics. “86” has long signified elimination—sometimes interpreted more darkly as a euphemism for killing—while “47” unmistakably refers to Trump, who returned to the presidency last year as the nation’s 47th commander-in-chief.
Gabbard addressed the issue head-on. Asked whether Comey should be jailed for the post, Gabbard did not hesitate. “Absolutely,” she said. “I’m very concerned for the president’s life.” She cited previous assassination attempts on Trump and pointed to the symbolic weight a message like Comey’s might carry coming from a former high-ranking intelligence official. “He must be held accountable and put behind bars,” she said.
DNI Tulsi Gabbard calls for James Comey to be put behind bars pic.twitter.com/Houy8WdFC9
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) May 16, 2025
The backlash to Comey’s post was swift and severe. Donald Trump Jr. blasted it as “casually calling for my dad to be murdered.” South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem announced that both the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Secret Service had opened investigations, pledging that “appropriate action” would be taken.
Just James Comey causally calling for my dad to be murdered.
This is who the Dem-Media worships. Demented!!!! pic.twitter.com/4LUK6crHAT
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) May 15, 2025
Comey, for his part, has denied any ill intent. He claimed the post was merely a “visual metaphor” for his political disagreement with Trump’s presidency—not a call to violence. But the explanation has done little to quell the outcry, especially given Comey’s central role in the FBI’s investigations into Trump and Hillary Clinton in the lead-up to the 2016 election.
The episode marks yet another flashpoint in the long-simmering war between Trump and members of the intelligence and law enforcement establishment. Comey, who was fired by Trump in 2017, has remained a public critic of the former—and now current—president. Gabbard, once a Democratic presidential candidate herself, has increasingly aligned with Trump-era Republicans in denouncing what she describes as “deep state” interference in democratic governance.
Beyond the political spectacle, the Comey post has reignited a larger debate about the boundaries of speech for public officials—particularly those who once held positions of trust in national security. It also underscores the way liberals have become more and more accepting of violence over the past eight years.
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