NEW YORK (AP) — Former FBI director James Comey says that he’s still a bit bewildered over how a seemingly innocent Instagram shot of shells arranged in the sand led to allegations by Donald Trump among others that he was calling for the president’s assassination and to an interview with the Secret Service.

President Donald Trump lashed out against ex-FBI Director James Comey over an Instragram post that contained an image some interpreted as a threat.

I regret the distraction and the controversy around it, but again, it’s hard to have regret about something that even in hindsight looks to me to be totally innocent,” Comey said.

Comey’s post sparked widespread outcry among MAGA social media. He told Wallace earlier in the interview that he thought the seashell arrangement was “really clever,” which is why he shared the image on social media.

Some interpreted James Comey's post to mean to take out President Donald Trump, as "86" means in slang to "get rid of" and as Trump is the 47th U.S. president.

Former FBI Director James Comey joins Nicolle Wallace on Deadline White House for the first time since controversy erupted due to a social media post by James Comey, where he posted a photo of the numbers “8647” spelled out with shells on the beach.

James Comey, the former FBI director fired by Donald Trump in 2017, sparked outrage on 15 May 2025 with an Instagram post of seashells arranged as '8647,' interpreted by Trump allies as a call to assassinate the 47th president. The post, swiftly deleted, prompted a Secret Service investigation and fierce debate over Comey's intent.