In 2020, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer had the numbers "8645" propped behind her on a "Meet the Press" appearance during Trump's 1st term [45]. In 2022, Posobiec posted "8646" during Biden's term [46]. In 2024, Gaetz used the term "86'd" re removed fellow GOP leadership. In 2025, Comey posted "8647" (a sea shell formation he "discovered on a walk") on Instagram.
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"Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer could face a federal investigation into an “86 45” emblem visible in the background of a virtual appearance she made several years ago [when Trump was the 45th president] (Whitmer's Meet the Press appearance on 10/18/2020)
"…Trump’s 2020 campaign accused Whitmer of “encouraging assassination attempts” against the president by having the emblem visible in the background of a virtual appearance on “Meet the Press.”
"The interview was recorded days after federal agents thwarted an alleged plot to kidnap and kill Whitmer.
"When specifically asked whether Whitmer’s 2020 appearance would also be investigated, Blanche did not rule that possibility out.
“Every case is different. The facts are different. Who makes the threat matters? What the threat says matters,” Blanche said.
"ABC News noted that right-wing commentator Jack Posobiec “posted a Tweet with “86 46″ during Joe Biden’s presidency and recently interviewed Blanche at the Conservative Political Action Conference.” (Posobiec tweet dated 1/29/22.)
"At the time of Whitmer’s “Meet the Press” appearance, the governor said Trump was “inspiring and incentivizing and inciting this kind of domestic terrorism,” pointing to a rally he held in Muskegon after the plot was revealed where his supporters chanted “lock her up.”
Posobiec has since said he meant "remove /impeach" 46 (but apparently did not specifically mention incompetence - which would seem the most applicable).
… [moar] …
https://michiganadvance.com/2026/04/29/after-comey-indictment-acting-ag-leaves-door-open-to-whitmer-investigation-over-86-45/
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2026/04/29/whitmers-8645-emblem-michigan-gop-doj-probe-request/89853769007/
https://x.com/JackPosobiec/status/1487642601536864256
Matt Gaetz also used the phrase "86'd" in terms of a purging after some fellow Republicans (McCarthy, McDaniel, McConnell) had been removed from the GOP leadership ranks:
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"We’ve now 86’d:
McCarthy
McDaniel
McConnell
Better days are ahead for the Republican Party."
- Matt Gaetz's X post on 2/28/2024
https://x.com/mattgaetz/status/1762892328941879457
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/8647-row-old-86ing-posts-by-pete-hegseth-and-posobiec-on-biden-go-viral-after-comeys-post/articleshow/121231936.cms (bizarrely naming Hegseth in the title of the article instead of the author Gaetz)
On May 15, 2025, Former FBI Director James Comey posted the "8647" seashell image on Instagram. The post showed seashells arranged as "8647," which he captioned as a "cool shell formation" from a beach walk, but it was interpreted by critics as a threat to "86" (eliminate) the 47th U.S. President, leading to his indictment in April 2026.
[Anon couldn't easily find the date and time stamp on Comey's Instagram post. It was quickly deleted.]
https://people.com/james-comey-posts-cryptic-number-8647-interpreted-trump-assassination-threat-11736566
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/james-comey-indicted-seashell-photo-officials-said-threatened-trump-rcna247022