A newly issued Alaska license plate bearing the characters “86 47” is drawing a strong response from members of the public who believe it is a coded reference advocating violence against the president of the United States.
The plate, which was approved by the Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles in May, 2025, was seen in Soldotna over the weekend. The number “86” is widely understood slang for “eliminate,” “destroy,” or “kill,” while “47” is commonly associated with the 47th president: Donald Trump. It is a number that has been used by anti-Trump protesters across the country.
A source has sent MRAK the documentation showing this vehicle is owned by an employee of the Anchorage Daily News. We believe this information to be accurate but have redacted the name, address, and VIN as we await another form of verification:
The sighting comes just weeks after another Alaska license plate made waves online for bearing the sequence “8T64T7,” which is easily interpreted as a stylized version of the same message.
In both instances, Alaskans have contacted the Alaska Department of Administration and Division of Motor Vehicles with concerns that the plates violate agency policy or even state law regarding threats or incitement.
The controversy has renewed questions about how the DMV screens personalized plate requests.
In 2021, following public backlash over plates reading “FUHRER” and “3REICH,” the Department of Administration issued a report stating that the DMV would strengthen its review process. The policy changes were to prohibit messages that demeaned ethnic, religious, or racial groups, or that included vulgar, violent, or criminal language.
It is unclear what review process was in place when the “86 47” plate was approved in May of 2025.
