Federal investigators are examining how the phrase “86 47” was burned or carved into grass on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, with the White House characterizing the message as a threat against President Donald Trump.
The U.S. Park Police confirmed they are investigating the vandalism discovered on the iconic grassy area. Samples of the discolored grass have been collected for laboratory testing to determine how the marking was created.
White House Spokesman Davis Ingle responded to the incident by stating, “Anyone who engages in or endorses political violence or assassination culture must be condemned in the harshest terms possible.” The phrase “86 47” is slang that references eliminating or removing something.
The Phrase and Its Context
The numbers have circulated among critics of Trump, most notably when former FBI Director James B. Comey posted an Instagram photo in 2024 showing seashells arranged on a North Carolina beach forming “86 47.” The Secret Service subsequently launched an inquiry into that post.
Comey explained the image captured a natural occurrence he observed during a beach walk. Ohio GOP Representative Jim Jordan disputed this account during a Fox News interview, arguing that federal law prohibits threatening the president and that Comey’s post violated that statute.
“I think it’s important to remember this is Jim Comey who started it all,” Jordan said, referencing Comey’s involvement in the early Trump-Russia investigation. “This 10-year attack on the president of the United States, on President Trump started with Comey.”
Legal Development
The Justice Department issued charges against Comey last month. U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan of the Eastern District of North Carolina, appointed by former President George W. Bush, was assigned to oversee the case.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche emphasized during a weekend interview that Comey’s indictment resulted from an extensive investigation beyond the Instagram photograph. “Rest assured that the career Assistant United States Attorneys in North Carolina, the career FBI agents, the career Secret Service agents that investigated this case didn’t just look at the Instagram post and walk away,” Blanche told Fox News.
This story has been updated. CNN’s reporting team contributed to this report.
