CNN analyst says Comey’s ‘very dangerous’ Trump post merits formal probe

Disgraced former FBI Director James Comey’s “very, very dangerous” post about the president had an analyst on CNN supporting an investigation.

“… we’re really living in this culture of assassination.”

Already facing a probe over a “honeypot” operation launched against President Donald Trump’s first campaign, the Russian collusion-peddling former top G-man had a lot of explaining to do about his since-deleted “86 47” social media post. In fact, former U.S. Secret Service Agent Jonathan Wackrow contended on CNN’s “News Central” that it did warrant an investigation because of how it could be interpreted.

Joining anchor Brianna Keilar, the former agent began, “Now, listen, this post to me is both disappointing and alarming at the same time. Disappointing because the director should have known better. You know, he carries the institutional weight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. His public commentary should reflect that standard. But it’s alarming given the fact that President Trump was recently the victim of targeted political violence, having survived two assassination attempts within the last year.”

Though he expressed doubt about Comey’s actual intent, he went on to state, “My biggest concern right now is that this image could be misinterpreted as an implied endorsement of violence, and we’re seeing that more and more.”

Earlier, I joined @CNN’s @BriannaKeilar to discuss James Comey’s post, which some view as a threat against #Trump. My concern: even if not intended, images like this can be misread as endorsing #violence. In today’s polarized climate, symbols are weaponized. pic.twitter.com/UiyLG766Jf

— Jonathan Wackrow (@JDWackrow) May 16, 2025

Wackrow went on to contend the post likely falls under protected speech, “But does it warrant an investigation? My answer is yes, it does.”

“And the reason being is because the way that this image could be interpreted today. We’re really living — unfortunately, since the, you know, assassination of the UnitedHealthcare CEO — we’re really living in this culture of assassination,” he continued. “So to me, this is less about the legality of the post and more about the leadership that Comey should’ve, you know, conveyed.”

After the former director posted the seashells only to delete the post and claim he “assumed” it was a “political message” and that he “didn’t realize some folks associate those numbers with violence of any kind,” few bought into the argument of naïveté, including law enforcement.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted to X Friday, “Today, federal agents from @SecretService interviewed disgraced former FBI Director Comey regarding a social media post calling for the assassination of President Trump. I will continue to take all measures necessary to ensure the protection of @POTUS Trump. This is an ongoing investigation.”

Today, federal agents from @SecretService interviewed disgraced former FBI Director Comey regarding a social media post calling for the assassination of President Trump.

I will continue to take all measures necessary to ensure the protection of @POTUS Trump. This is an ongoing…

— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) May 16, 2025

Meanwhile, the Secret Service could offer little about the active investigation save to say, “We vigorously investigate anything that can be taken as a potential threat against our protectees. We are aware of the social media posts by the former FBI Director & we take rhetoric like this very seriously. Beyond that, we do not comment on protective intelligence matters.”

We vigorously investigate anything that can be taken as a potential threat against our protectees. We are aware of the social media posts by the former FBI Director & we take rhetoric like this very seriously. Beyond that, we do not comment on protective intelligence matters. pic.twitter.com/uhYSB7GYvt

— Anthony Guglielmi (@SecretSvcSpox) May 16, 2025

Wackrow went on to reassert his position that Comey didn’t mean to incite violence against the president, “you know a call to arms. But the way it is interpreted by individuals — again, he has a very broad social media reach, and some of those people may take this as an acceptable act to create, you know, engage in violence, violence against, not necessarily the president, but maybe something that’s symbolic of the president, like a member of his family. So these, in this moment in time, these types of actions are very, very dangerous.”

For his part, Trump had slammed Comey’s denial and told Fox News host Bret Baier, “He knew exactly what that meant. 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. Now, he wasn’t very competent, but he was competent enough to know what that meant and he did it for a reason …”

Staff Writer

Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn’t researching current events and their impacts, you’ll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.

Latest posts by Kevin Haggerty (see all)

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.