FBI Director Kash Patel disclosed on Wednesday that the agency has been inundated with investigations into “copycats” emulating James Comey, following the former FBI director’s controversial “86 47” Instagram post.

“Do you know how many copycats we’ve had to investigate as a result of that beachside venture from the former director?” Patel said during an appearance on Fox News’ Special Report with Bret Baier, speaking from the FBI’s academy in Quantico, Virginia.

Patel explained that since Comey’s May 15 social media post, the volume of potential threats targeting President Donald Trump has surged to the point that the bureau has been forced to reassign substantial resources. This includes diverting agents who typically handle child exploitation cases and drug trafficking investigations.

“Do you know how many agents I’ve had to take offline from chasing down child sex predators, fentanyl traffickers, terrorists .. because everywhere across this country people are popping up on social media and think that a threat to the life of the president of the United States is a joke … and they can do it because [Comey] did it?” Patel stated.

“That’s what I’m having to deal with every single day,” he continued. “And that’s why I’m having to pull my agents and analysts off – because [Comey] thought it was funny to go out there and make a political statement.”

The post in question, which was later removed, featured an image of seashells arranged to form the numbers “86 47.” Many Republicans, including Trump himself, interpreted the message as a veiled threat against the 47th president.

The New York Post reports that Comey, who led the FBI from September 2013 until his dismissal by Trump in May 2017, was questioned by Secret Service officials the day after publishing the post. In a recent interview with MSNBC, Comey reiterated that he saw nothing wrong with the post, maintaining that it was “totally innocent” and stating he does not expect the Trump administration to pursue legal action over it.