Trump World has tough case with Comey over ‘assassination’ message
by Alex Gangitano - 05/16/25 2:50 PM ET
President Trump’s allies are targeting former FBI Director James Comey over his “8647″ social media message, which they claim was a call for the president’s assassination.
But making the case could be difficult, given protections for free speech and the broad meanings behind the eighty-sixing of someone.
In contrast to other administration officials who issued immediate demands for investigations into Comey, Attorney General Pam Bondi has stayed silent on the matter. When reached with questions about plans for a potential prosecution, the Department of Justice (DOJ) declined to comment.
President Trump said he thought Comey’s Instagram photo of seashells on a beach arranged to form the numbers “8647” was a call for his assassination, MAGA influencers online are bashing the former FBI director and top Trump officials and aides are doubling down on accusing Comey of issuing a threat.
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) also urged the administration to look into the situation. Democrats on Capitol Hill, for their part, are not rushing to the defense of Comey, who was seen by that party as interfering in the final weeks of the 2016 election between Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
White House deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich said Comey’s post “can clearly be interpreted as ‘a hit’ on the sitting president of the United States” and said the message is being taken seriously. Budowich also called on Democrats to “condemn these threats, not stoke them.”
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https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5304480-trump-allies-target-comey-assassination-threat/