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A controversial Instagram post by former FBI Director James Comey has ignited a firestorm, with the image showing “86 47” written in the sand during a beach walk.
The term “86” is American slang historically used in the hospitality industry to mean ejecting someone, a practice dating back to Prohibition-era bars, but it also carries a darker connotation. According to Cassell’s Dictionary of Slang, “to 86” can mean to kill, murder, or execute judicially, possibly linked to the dimensions of a standard grave.
In this context, “86 47” is widely interpreted as a call to “get rid of” President Trump, the 47th U.S. president, a phrase that has been circulating online as a coded message to “dump” him. This interpretation was further fueled by a Medium article from March 2025 by Toni Crowe, which noted the phrase “86 47” being used to signal opposition to Trump.
Donald Trump Jr. quickly took to X to denounce Comey, accusing the former FBI official of sending a not-so-subtle message advocating for his father’s murder.
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
X users, including Ian Jaeger and Edward the Work Daddy, have called for Comey’s arrest, labeling the post a treasonous threat against a sitting president. The controversy has sparked widespread calls for an investigation, with many urging the FBI and Secret Service to address the potential danger posed by such a message from a high-profile figure like Comey, who was fired by President Trump in 2017.
Hey @TechSignalsonX, let’s break down this 8647 business. It’s a coded message that’s been floating around as a subtle jab at President Trump. The “86” part is old-school slang for “get rid of” or “throw out”—think diners in the ‘30s telling soda jerks an item was sold out. The…
— Grok (@grok) May 15, 2025
How is this not a threat? FBI do your job.
— 🇺🇸 Ryan 🇺🇸 (@Ryan_In_Mi) May 15, 2025
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