Comey was appointed FBI Director in 2013 under President Barack Obama and was fired by President Trump during his first term in May 2017. Trump was unhappy that he was being investigated over his ties to Russia, ties that were in fact true, even if the president now calls them all a hoax.

Asked if Comey should be in jail, Trump demurred and said he would let U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi handle the decision.

The former FBI director wrote "cool shell formation on my beach walk" on Instagram with an image of seashells that read "8647".