Critics are arguing that “The View” continues to double down on polarizing rhetoric, suggesting the program prioritizes audience provocation over substantive debate.
Following the recent assassination attempt on Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, national discourse has shifted back to the impact of political vitriol. Concurrently, former FBI Director James Comey has re-entered the spotlight following reports of an indictment related to a 2025 social media post. The post in question featured a photo of seashells arranged to read “8647,” a code widely interpreted as a call for Trump’s removal through violent means. Comey now faces charges including making threats against the president and transmitting threats in interstate commerce.
During a Wednesday appearance on “The View,” Senior Advisor to the Attorney General Alina Habba addressed the situation. While the show’s hosts appeared to defend the former director, Habba maintained that Comey’s law enforcement background makes it impossible for the post to be a simple misunderstanding.
When Sunny Hostin questioned whether the “8647” post constituted a genuine threat, Habba responded:
“I do, I’ll explain why. After Comey’s post — and this is where I go back to Saturday’s events — the responsibility of certain individuals like us, we all have a very big voice; he is a former FBI director, he knows what 8647 meant. There’s no question about it.”
While The View plays* stupid about what “8647” meant, Alina Habba schools them on it:
SUNNY HOSTIN: During hot topics earlier today, we discussed the most recent federal indictment of former FBI Director James Comey related to an Instagram post of seashells, an Instagram post… pic.twitter.com/2dRTqx1ccI
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) April 29, 2026
When Hostin pressed Habba on the definition of “86,” Habba clarified that in this specific context, it meant to “get rid of” or kill the president. Hostin dismissed the claim with a laugh, citing the dictionary definition, to which Habba retorted that a former FBI director would be well aware of the term’s darker connotations beyond literal definitions. Joy Behar interjected with a sarcastic comparison to restaurant jargon, asking if “86ing” meat implied murder.
Habba countered by sharing a personal example of the term’s real-world consequences:
“Let me just tell you what happened after James Comey’s post. A gentleman posted that about me… ’86 Habba,’ and he was also charged. He was charged in Florida, and he was held accountable because you cannot do it.”
She emphasized that public figures—including “The View” hosts and former officials like Comey—hold a responsibility to avoid rhetoric that could incite violence. Habba noted that her perspective on the weight of these words had sharpened following the recent assassination attempt.
The exchange highlights a deep divide: critics argue that the left continues to engage in “mental gymnastics” to excuse inflammatory language, even when the president’s safety is at stake. Many maintain that persistent comparisons to dictators and threats to democracy have escalated the danger. While many hoped such rhetoric would cease after the 2024 Butler, Pennsylvania, shooting, critics contend that the political left remains committed to a dangerous rhetorical game.