When you think of Taylor Swift, what do you think of her? For some people, she is a multiple award-winning singer. For some, she is “El Travador,” Travis Kelce’s girlfriend. But no one would have her support a guy who seemingly wanted President Trump dead. 

And yet…in a nation still shaken by two assassination attempts on President Donald Trump in 2024, every word from a public figure carries the weight of a sledgehammer. So when James Comey, the former FBI Director, posted a photo of seashells arranged to spell “86 47” on Instagram last May, captioned as a “cool shell formation,” supporters of Trump across America and the world felt a chill. 

For those who’ve watched Trump battle relentless verbal and physical attacks, the message was unmistakable: “86,” slang for “get rid of” or worse, paired with “47,” was clearly a nod to Trump as our 47th president. Comey, a man once entrusted with upholding law and order, claims it was an innocent mistake. But in a climate where threats loom larger than ever, can we afford such carelessness from someone of his stature?