US probes '86 47' markings on National Mall targeting Trump

US Park Police have opened an investigation into markings found Thursday on the Washington Monument's west lawn displaying the numbers "86 47," a sequence some observers interpret as a threat against President Donald Trump, the 47th president of the United States.

Federal probe underway

The discoloration appeared in the grass adjacent to the World War II Memorial in Washington, DC, with photographs circulating on social media showing the faded digits visible to passersby shortly before officers secured the scene. "The numbers 86 47 were marked in the grass," the department said in a statement. "The cause of the discoloration has not yet been determined."

US Park Police noted that grass samples have been collected for testing and that the investigation is ongoing. The term "86" carries dual meanings — while some associate it with restaurant slang meaning to cancel or discard, others interpret it as a mob term alluding to violence.

White House vows accountability

The Interior Department and White House have taken the incident seriously, with officials warning that threats against the commander-in-chief will not be tolerated on federal property. An Interior spokesperson said any threat against the president is being treated with utmost seriousness and that authorities will hold those responsible accountable for what the official called "deranged vandalism" on the National Mall.

White House spokesman Davis Ingle told CBS News that the administration condemns any endorsement of political violence. "Anyone who engages in or endorses political violence or assassination culture must be condemned in the harshest terms possible," Ingle said. "They should also immediately seek psychiatric help to treat their severe and debilitating case of Trump Derangement Syndrome that has warped their brains and made them sick in the head."

Recent prosecutions

The incident follows the recent federal indictment of former FBI Director James Comey, who shared an Instagram post last year showing seashells arranged to form "86 47." Comey faces two federal counts of threatening the president and transmitting threats via interstate commerce, though he has said he was unaware the numbers carried violent connotations for some observers.

Comey has not yet entered a plea and is scheduled to be arraigned in September. The markings surfaced months after Trump survived an assassination attempt in July 2024 during his campaign for a second term.