Preaident Donald Trump of US has accused his predecessor, Barack Obama, of “treason” and called for his prosecution over allegations that Obama’s administration manipulated information on Russia’s interference in the 2016 election.
President Trump made the claims during an Oval Office press event with visiting Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos, citing a report by Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard.
Gabbard’s report asserted that Obama officials were part of a “treasonous conspiracy” to undermine Trump’s presidency by manufacturing intelligence on Russian election interference.
According to Gabbard, this alleged conspiracy was aimed at laying the groundwork for a “years-long coup” against Trump.
However, her claims contradict the findings of four separate investigations conducted between 2019 and 2023, which concluded that Russia did intervene on Trump’s behalf in the 2016 election.
Trump singled out Obama as the “leader of the gang” behind the alleged conspiracy, also implicating Obama’s then-vice president Joe Biden, former FBI director James Comey, former DNI director James Clapper, and former CIA director John Brennan.
Trump said, “Based on what I read and I read pretty much what you read it would be President Obama”, he started it.
He also accused Obama of being guilty of “treason” and called for his prosecution.
Obama’s office has dismissed Trump’s accusations as “ridiculous” and a “weak attempt at distraction.”
Patrick Rodenbush, a spokesperson for Obama, said, “These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction.”
The response underscored the significant divide between the two leaders and highlights the contentious nature of Trump’s claims.
A bipartisan report by the Senate Intelligence Committee, led by then-acting chairman Marco Rubio, found in 2020 that the Trump campaign sought to “maximize the impact” of leaks of Democratic documents stolen by Russian military intelligence.
The report concluded that Russia’s interference in the 2016 election represented one of the most significant counterintelligence threats to American national security.
The finding directly contradicted Trump’s claims of a “hoax” surrounding the Russia investigation.
AFP
