WASHINGTON - The Department of the Interior launched an investigation Thursday after a massive marking of "8647" appeared on the grass of Washington’s National Mall. US Park Police and the National Guard responded to the scene near the World War II Memorial on June 11.
The term "8647" has become a flashpoint in American political discourse. Opponents of President Donald Trump use it as a protest slogan. However, Trump allies and the Department of Justice interpret it as a call for violence, referencing the slang "86" (to expel) and Trump’s status as the 47th president.
An Interior Department spokesperson condemned the act as "deranged vandalism," emphasizing that threats against the president are taken with extreme seriousness. Samples from the discolored grass have been collected for testing, though investigators have not yet determined how the markings were created.
Authorities responded to what appeared to be a large tracing of the term 8647 into the grounds of the National Mall in Washington, DC on Jun 11, 2026. (Photo: Reuters/Nathan Howard)
This incident occurs against a backdrop of heightened legal scrutiny regarding the symbol. Federal prosecutors previously charged former FBI Director James Comey with threatening Trump based on a 2025 social media post displaying seashells arranged to form "8647." Comey pleaded not guilty, citing free speech protections.
Despite ongoing legal battles, recent federal rulings have allowed anti-Trump groups to display "8647" flags near the Mall. The marking appears just weeks before the National Mall hosts major celebrations for the 250th anniversary of US independence, including a Great American State Fair beginning June 25.