Former FBI Director James Comey was given the Secret Service treatment usually reserved for "serious threats" after posting a seashell photo to Instagram with the numbers "86 47."
The New York Times reported Wednesday that the post captioned, "Cool shell formation on my beach walk," led to federal law enforcement surreptitiously tailing his car while agents tracked his cellphone.
Comey described the post as "silly" and said he was unaware of the meaning that MAGA ascribed to the numbers.
"86" is slang for throwing someone out, getting rid of them, or refusing them service, according to Merriam-Webster. Forty-seven was interpreted by some as Donald Trump, the 47th president of the United States.
Donald Trump Jr. left no doubt about his interpretation.
"Just James Comey causally calling for my dad to be murdered. This is who the Dem-Media worships. Demented!!!!" he posted to X.
Comey later deleted the post and issued a statement on Instagram saying, "I posted earlier a picture of some shells I saw today on a beach walk, which I assumed were a political message. I didn't realize some folks associated those numbers with violence. It never occurred to me but I oppose violence of any kind so I took the post down."
Trump famously fired Comey over the "Russiagate probe" during his first administration.
Read The New York Times article here.