Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said former FBI Director James Comey should be “put behind bars” for a social media post depicting the numbers “8647.”
The numbers have been interpreted to mean that Comey wants President Donald Trump assassinated.
Asked by Fox News’s Jesse Watters if she believes Comey should be jailed, Gabbard said, “I do. Any other person with a position of influence that he has, people who take very seriously what a guy of his stature, his experience, and what the propaganda media has built him up to be … I’m very concerned for the president’s life.”
“We’ve already seen assassination attempts,” she added. “I’m very concerned for his life, and James Comey in my view should be held accountable and put behind bars for this.”
Watters: Do you believe Comey should be in jail?
Gabbard: I do… Comey, in my view, should be held accountable and put behind bars for this pic.twitter.com/qafhtUJP7a
— Acyn (@Acyn) May 16, 2025
Comey posted and deleted a picture of shells lined up on a beach to depict the numbers “8647” earlier Thursday, prompting an outraged Republican reaction alleging that he’s calling for the president to be assassinated. Comey said later that he did not mean for the post to provoke violence.
The Department of Homeland Security is investigating the alleged threat, while the Secret Service has said it is aware of the posts and “we vigorously investigate anything that can be taken as a potential threat against our protectees.” The FBI added it will provide “necessary support.”
Merriam-Webster dictionary doesn’t mention the term as slang to assassinate or kill someone but rather to get rid of something. “Eighty-six is slang meaning ‘to throw out,’ ‘to get rid of,’ or ‘to refuse service to.’ It comes from 1930s soda-counter slang meaning that an item was sold out. There is varying anecdotal evidence about why the term eighty-six was used, but the most common theory is that it is rhyming slang for nix,” its website says.
“President Trump has already survived TWO assassination attempts. Now, former disgraced FBI director James Comey is either threatening to kill Donald Trump or suggesting someone should. This is as outrageous as it is dangerous. Grateful @Sec_Noem and @FBIDirectorKash are looking into this,” Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) wrote in a post on X.
COMEY’S ‘8647’ MESSAGE ‘CONCERNS’ WHITE HOUSE AND PROMPTS DHS INVESTIGATION
Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) has called for a joint investigation into Comey by the FBI and Secret Service and also wants confirmation as to whether he holds any classified information or has a security clearance.
“The American people deserve assurance that threats — whether direct or implied — against elected officials will be taken seriously regardless of the speakers former title or political alignment. Equal justice demands nothing less,” Ogles wrote.