MAGA’s Outrage: Comey’s Post Much to Do About Nothing

‘8647’ doesn’t mean what Trump voters say it means

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, FBI Director Kash Patel, and other far-right MAGA Republicans are demanding an investigation into former FBI Director James Comey, all sparked by an Instagram post featuring seashells in the sand that formed the numbers 8647. But hold on—what about Donald Trump’s video from March 30, 2024, which prominently displayed an image of President Joe Biden in the back of a pickup truck? Where was the MAGA outcry then?

This video represents yet another instance of Trump employing dark and violent imagery in his campaign messaging, showcasing his penchant for inflammatory rhetoric. The slang term “eight-six” means to remove or eject, and let’s not forget that Donald Trump is the 47th president of the United States. In a post on May 15 on X (formerly Twitter), Noem accused Comey of promoting violence against Trump. However, critics are quick to remind her that “eight-six” does not inherently carry a violent connotation. In the restaurant industry, for instance, when workers say they need to “eight-six” an order, it simply means to cancel it. Similarly, a bar might “eighty-six” a customer who has had too much to drink.

Liberal firebrand and former MSNBC host Keith Olbermann responded to Noem’s tweet with a scathing remark: “Listen, you lying witch, he didn’t call for assassinating anyone. Since you murdered your daughter’s dog, maybe you ought to shut up about this.”

The Guardian’s Edward Helmore notes that the number 86 has also been used by Republicans advocating for the impeachment of Joe Biden. For example, t-shirts sold on Amazon emblazoned with “8646” signal a call to impeach Biden, the 46th president. Some liberals are accusing the right of deliberately misinterpreting Comey’s intent to score political points.