DONALD Trump has lashed out at James Comey after the former FBI chief shared a beach snap that has been perceived as a threat to the president.
Comey shared a picture of seashells that spelled out the code 8647.
The number 86 refers to an item being taken off the menu or “killed,” and Trump is the 47th president.
It prompted critics to claim it signified a threat toward the president.
Trump blasted Comey in an interview with Fox News journalist Bret Baier, saying a child would’ve understood the sentiment behind the social media post.
“He knew exactly what that meant – a child knows what that meant,” he said.
“If you’re the FBI director and you don’t know what that meant, that meant assassination. It says it loud and clear.
“He wasn’t very competent but he was competent enough to know what that meant and he did it for a reason.”
Trump described Comey as a “dirty cop.”
Comey attracted a torrent of criticism from Trump’s family and federal government officials.
Kristi Noem, the head of Homeland Security, warned that Secret Service agents would launch a probe.
Meanwhile, Trump’s son, Don Jr, also echoed similar sentiments on social media.
Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s Director of National Intelligence, claimed Comey knew what he was doing.
“James Comey just issued a call to action to murder the President of the United States,” she wrote on X.
“As a former FBI Director and someone who spent most of his career prosecuting mobsters and gangsters, he knew exactly what he was doing and must be held accountable under the full force of the law.
“We fully support the Secret Service investigation into Comey’s threat on President Trump’s life.”
The White House cabinet secretary, Taylor Budowich, said the case is being treated seriously.
“While President Trump is currently on an international trip to the Middle East, the former FBI Director puts out what can clearly be interpreted as ‘a hit’ on the sitting President of the United States — a message etched in the sand,” he said.
“This is deeply concerning to all of us and is being taken seriously.”
Kash Patel, the current FBI director, said his team is in talks with the Secret Service.
Comey, who served as FBI director between 2013 and 2017, clarified the picture in a subsequent statement.
“I posted earlier a picture of some shells I saw today on a beach walk, which I assumed were a political message,” he said.
” I didn’t realize some folks associate those numbers with violence.
“It never occurred to me but I oppose violence of any kind so I took the post down.”
But, Comey is expected to be interviewed by Secret Service agents, per Fox News.
Trump survived two assassination attempts in the run-up to last year’s presidential election.
He was left with a gashed ear after Thomas Crooks opened fire at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania in July.
Just weeks after the assassination attempt in Butler, shots were fired near to Trump’s Florida golf course.
Ryan Wesley Routh managed to get within 500 yards of Trump before opening fire.
Meanwhile, Comey rose to prominence when he probed Hillary Clinton’s use of her personal email system when she was Secretary of State.
He reopened the case at the height of the 2016 presidential campaign – less than two weeks before election day.
Commentators speculated that Comey’s letter, which explained why the investigation into Clinton’s emails had been reopened, cost the former first lady the election.
Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/14249464/james-comey-beach-photo-trump-probe/
