The number 86 is a common term used in the hospitality industry as well as in the military and intelligence communities. It can mean cancelling an order or to “kill, murder, or execute judicially,” according to Cassell’s Dictionary of Slang.

Comey deleted the post after receiving accusations that he was calling for the assassination of the president, and issued the following mea culpa, which Trump and many of his allies have rejected completely: ““I posted earlier a picture of some shells I saw today on a beach walk, which I assumed were a political message. I didn’t realize some folks associate those numbers with violence. It never occurred to me but I oppose violence of any kind so I took the post down.”