This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . The next check for changes will be
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c04ezlyq4y0o
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| James Comey: Ex-FBI boss interviewed by Secret Service over Trump seashell post | James Comey: Ex-FBI boss interviewed by Secret Service over Trump seashell post |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| Watch: James Comey's 8647 post "meant assassination", says Trump | Watch: James Comey's 8647 post "meant assassination", says Trump |
| Former FBI director James Comey has been interviewed by the US Secret Service after he shared then deleted a social media post that Republicans alleged was an incitement to violence against US President Donald Trump. | |
| Comey voluntarily participated in the questioning at the law enforcement agency's Washington DC headquarters and was not being held in custody, sources told US media. | Comey voluntarily participated in the questioning at the law enforcement agency's Washington DC headquarters and was not being held in custody, sources told US media. |
| It comes a day after he posted on Instagram a photo of seashells that spelled the numbers "8647". | It comes a day after he posted on Instagram a photo of seashells that spelled the numbers "8647". |
| The number 86 is a slang term whose definitions include "to reject" or "to get rid of", however, it has more recently been used as a term to mean "kill". Trump is the 47th US president. | The number 86 is a slang term whose definitions include "to reject" or "to get rid of", however, it has more recently been used as a term to mean "kill". Trump is the 47th US president. |
| Comey, whom Trump fired as FBI director in 2017, was interviewed on Friday afternoon about what he meant by the post, and whether he intended it as a threat to Trump or an attempt to inspire others to commit violence, according to CNN. | |
| Trump said earlier in the day during an interview with Fox News that Comey was calling for him to be killed. | Trump said earlier in the day during an interview with Fox News that Comey was calling for him to be killed. |
| What does '86' mean? | What does '86' mean? |
| "He knew exactly what that meant," said Trump, who survived two attempts on his life last year. "A child knows what that meant. | "He knew exactly what that meant," said Trump, who survived two attempts on his life last year. "A child knows what that meant. |
| "If you're the FBI director and you don't know what that meant, that meant assassination. And it says it loud and clear." | "If you're the FBI director and you don't know what that meant, that meant assassination. And it says it loud and clear." |
| "Cool shell formation," Comey commented before deleting the post | "Cool shell formation," Comey commented before deleting the post |
| Trump said any decision on whether charges should be filed against Comey would be up to Attorney General Pam Bondi. | Trump said any decision on whether charges should be filed against Comey would be up to Attorney General Pam Bondi. |
| Comey posted the seashell photo on Thursday then deleted it amid conservative uproar. | Comey posted the seashell photo on Thursday then deleted it amid conservative uproar. |
| He wrote in a follow-up message on Instagram that he had seen the shells during a walk on the beach, "which I assumed were a political message". | He wrote in a follow-up message on Instagram that he had seen the shells during a walk on the beach, "which I assumed were a political message". |
| "I didn't realize some folks associate those numbers with violence. It never occurred to me but I oppose violence of any kind so I took down the post." | |
| Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, the highest-ranking spymaster in the US, called for Comey to be jailed for "issuing a hit" on Trump while he was travelling in the Middle East. | Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, the highest-ranking spymaster in the US, called for Comey to be jailed for "issuing a hit" on Trump while he was travelling in the Middle East. |
| Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement on Thursday: "We are aware of the social media posts by the former FBI Director and we take rhetoric like this very seriously." | Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement on Thursday: "We are aware of the social media posts by the former FBI Director and we take rhetoric like this very seriously." |