On May 16, 2025, former FBI Director James Comey was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) after posting a photo of shells arranged in the shape of the number "8647" on Instagram. The post, accompanied by the caption "Cool shell formation while walking on the beach," sparked a backlash from supporters of President Donald Trump, who interpreted it as a veiled threat to assassinate the 47th president of the United States. It was reported by leading global media outlets, including Reuters and NBC News, as well as numerous posts on the X platform. Following the onslaught of criticism, Comey deleted the post, saying he had not realized the potential associations with violence and stressing his opposition.

The number "8647" has caused controversy because it is American slang, with "86" meaning "throw away," "get rid of," or, more rarely, "kill," according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, which notes that the latter meaning has not yet been formally recognized. The number "47" is clearly associated with Donald Trump, the 47th president of the United States. The president's son, Donald Trump Jr., was the first to take notice of the post, accusing Comey of "calling for his murder" and calling his actions "insane" in a post on X.