Federal authorities are investigating after the numbers “8647” were found etched into the grass of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The markings appeared near the World War II Memorial and were visible from above due to sections of grass that had turned brown. U.S. Park Police collected grass samples and are reviewing the incident as possible vandalism.
The meaning of “8647” has become politically controversial. The phrase is commonly interpreted by opponents of President Donald Trump as “86 47,” with “86” being slang often meaning to remove or get rid of something and “47” referring to Trump as the 47th president. Some officials and Trump allies argue it could be interpreted as a threat, while others describe it as political protest. Authorities have not publicly identified who created the markings or their exact intent.
The Department of the Interior condemned the act as vandalism and stated that any potential threat against the president would be taken seriously. The investigation remains ongoing, and officials have not determined how the grass was altered or when the message was created.