What you need to know about James Comey’s indictment and deleted posts
Former FBI Director James Comey has been indicted for a second time, and the deleted photos of shells and numbers are once again in the spotlight.
The number 8647 appeared on the lawn of the National Mall on Thursday, June 11, days before President Donald Trump’s birthday, sparking an investigation by the U.S. Park Police.
Park officials contacted the National Mall at around 11:30 a.m. local time and said they had seen traces of the number “8647” on the lawn on the west side of the mall, Reuters reported. In a photo taken by Reuters from the top of the Washington Monument, the numbers “8” and “7” are clearly visible, but the numbers “6” and “4” are more faintly visible.
“The cause of the discoloration has not yet been determined,” park police said in a statement to Reuters. “Grass samples have been collected for testing. The investigation is ongoing.”
The incident comes just weeks before the National Mall is scheduled to celebrate 250 years of independence and the 16-day Great American State Fair.
Another in a long list of incidents
The number 8647 has been at the center of controversy in recent months. Back in April, former FBI Director James Comey was indicted for the second time over social media posts he shared in 2025.
In a since-deleted Instagram photo, Comey posted the number 8647 made of seashells. The post sparked anger from members of the Trump administration at the time, who portrayed it as a veiled threat against Trump.
Then, on June 1, a federal judge granted the American Civil Liberties Union’s request for a restraining order in its Washington, D.C., free speech lawsuit against the National Park Service, alleging that U.S. park police officers had asked demonstrators to take down the “8647” flag over concerns that it suggested a threat against President Trump.
What does “8647” mean?
Some people interpret this series of numbers as saying 47, “86,” meaning Trump is the 47th president.
According to Merriam-Webster, “86” is used as a colloquial term to mean “throw away,” “remove,” or “refuse service.”
The origin of the term is debated, with some saying it came from the former New York bar Chumley’s at 86 Bedford Street, where bartenders would kick out disorderly patrons.
Another version, cited in the book History and Stories of New York’s Best Bars, is that during Prohibition, police would call bartenders at Chumley’s and shoo patrons out the door at 86 Bedford with an “86” so they wouldn’t have to arrest patrons.
According to Merriam-Webster, the term comes from 1930s soda counter slang to mean a product is sold out, and may be derived from the term “nicks,” which is still used by restaurant and bar servers.
USA TODAY’s BrieAnna J. Frank contributed to this report.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact us at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow us at X @fern_cerv_.
