Former FBI Director James Comey voluntarily met with representatives of the United States Secret Service after a social media post he made drew allegations from supporters of Donald Trump that it contained violent implications against the former president.

The meeting occurred on Saturday at the Washington field office of the Secret Service, which is tasked with presidential security and operates under the Department of Homeland Security.

The controversy originated from Comey's Instagram post, which featured a photograph of seashells arranged in the shape of the numbers 8647 on a beach.

Accompanying the image, Comey captioned it: 'Cool shell formation on my beach walk.' Supporters of Trump quickly interpreted the numbers as a coded message advocating for his removal from office, with some suggesting an even more sinister connotation related to violence.

In American vernacular, the number '86' may refer to removing someone or something, particularly in restaurant terminology, indicating that a menu item is no longer available or that a patron should be escorted out.

As per various sources, a more recent slang meaning of 86 can imply violence, although its widespread adoption in this context remains limited, leading to ambiguity around the interpretation of Comey’s post.

Comey responded to the backlash by deleting the post and clarifying his intention, stating, 'It never occurred to me but I oppose violence of any kind so I took the post down.' Amid ongoing discourse about the incident, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed that there is an investigation, although specific details or indicated outcomes were not disclosed.

Moreover, Trump himself reacted to the controversy during an interview, asserting that Comey was fully aware of the implications behind his post.

Trump stated, 'He knew exactly what that meant,' before indicating that he would leave any potential further action regarding the incident to Attorney General Pam Bondi and others.

This interaction marks a continuing chapter in the contentious relationship between Trump and Comey, dating back to Comey's dismissal in 2017 while he was leading an investigation into the Trump campaign's potential connections to Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Comey has consistently criticized Trump, labeling him as 'morally unfit' to serve as president in various public statements.

The themes represented by '8647' and '8646' have appeared variously in political discourse and merchandise during the terms of both Trump and his successor, President Joe Biden.

Both individuals have faced scrutiny for comments made on social media that have drawn accusations of inciting unrest or violence.