Former FBI Director James Comey addressed the controversy surrounding a now-deleted photo he posted of seashells, which sparked significant backlash and scrutiny from the Secret Service.

In an interview aired on MSNBC’s 'Deadline: White House,' Comey described the response to the post as a 'distraction' and maintained that his intentions were 'totally innocent.' The photo, which he shared online, drew criticism from supporters of former President Donald Trump, with some misinterpreting the image as an allusion to violence against the president.

Comey stated, 'I regret the distraction and the controversy around it, but again, it’s hard to have regret about something that, even in hindsight, looks to me to be totally innocent.' Having previously been dismissed by Trump in 2017, Comey noted that this incident was not the first time he faced scrutiny during the Trump administration, saying, 'In the Trump era, I’ve been investigated a lot, audited a lot, and so it’s not my first rodeo.' Amid the backlash, Comey removed the seashell post and later clarified that he did not intend to convey any violent implications.

He expressed regret that some individuals associated the photo with violence, stating, 'It never occurred to me but I oppose violence of any kind so I took the post down.' This incident highlights the ongoing tensions and polarized perceptions surrounding public figures in the political landscape.