A top legal expert is shutting down calls from Trump allies to lock up former FBI Director James Comey over a cryptic beach photo he posted on Instagram.
Comey shared an image of seashells arranged to spell “86 47” — widely taken as a dig at Donald Trump, who was the 45th president and is now the 47th. “Cool shell formation on my beach walk,” Comey wrote.
Historically, “86” means to eject someone from a bar or restaurant. But online, some pointed out that the number can also be slang for killing someone. Comey later deleted the post, saying: “It never occurred to me” that it might look like a threat.
The post lit up MAGA circles. Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., posted on X: “Just James Comey causally [sic] calling for my dad to be murdered. This is who the Dem-Media worships. Demented!!!!” The White House said the message was “being taken seriously.”
CNN legal analyst Elie Honig slammed the backlash as “ridiculous.”
Speaking on The Source with Kaitlan Collins, Honig was blunt in his assessment. “I mean, look, I am no fan of Jim Comey’s. I’ve been very critical of a lot of the things he’s done. I think posting this was extremely reckless… and stupid. He has acknowledged that. He took it down. He said, I should not have posted this.”
But Honig was clear: “This is not criminal. This is not a criminally chargeable threat against the president. It’s political speech. It’s way too broad. It’s stupid, it’s reckless. It’s not criminal.”
Still, some in Trump’s orbit want Comey jailed. Tulsi Gabbard, now Director of National Intelligence, told Fox News, “I do,” when asked if he should face charges. “Any other person with a position of influence that he has… people who take very seriously what a guy of his stature, his experience” says.
Calls for an investigation have also come from Trump allies like Kash Patel and Kristi Noem.
Honig dismissed it all as political theater. “That’s just hyperbole that you’re hearing from the cabinet members there,” he said.
Watch the clip below from CNN.
