Trump Accuses Obama of ‘Treason’ in Escalating Rhetoric Over 2016 Russia Probe

WASHINGTON, July 23 (Alliance News): U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday accused former President Barack Obama of “treason,” claiming—without evidence—that his Democratic predecessor led a conspiracy in 2016 to sabotage Trump’s presidential campaign by falsely tying him to Russia.

The incendiary allegation came during remarks in the Oval Office, where Trump leaned on recent comments from his intelligence chief, Tulsi Gabbard.

Last week, Gabbard declassified documents and accused Obama-era officials of engaging in a “treasonous conspiracy” against Trump. However, the documents she released have not substantiated those claims and have been dismissed by Democrats as politically motivated distortions.

“It’s there, he’s guilty. This was treason,” Trump declared, alleging that Obama and top aides attempted to “steal the election” and mislead the American people. “They tried to obfuscate the election. They did things that nobody’s ever imagined.”

An Obama spokesperson, Patrick Rodenbush, dismissed Trump’s claims as “bizarre” and “a weak attempt at distraction.” He emphasized that nothing in Gabbard’s declassified material contradicts the 2017 intelligence community’s conclusion that Russia sought to influence the election in Trump’s favor but did not tamper with vote counts.

The intelligence assessment, prepared under the Obama administration, found that Russia engaged in hacking, disinformation, and social media manipulation to damage Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and help Trump.

A subsequent 2020 bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee report reaffirmed these findings, noting that Russia exploited individuals such as Republican political consultant Paul Manafort and the WikiLeaks platform.

Trump, however, continues to call the investigation into Russian interference a “hoax” and has increasingly suggested retaliation against those involved. “It’s time to go after people,” Trump said Tuesday. “Obama has been caught directly.”

Tulsi Gabbard’s assertions have also come under fire. While she claimed that Obama officials altered intelligence findings, her documents actually conflated two distinct assessments: one involving Russian cyberattacks on election infrastructure (which found no impact), and the other about Russian propaganda and data theft (which confirmed Moscow’s influence efforts).

Moreover, a 2025 review of the intelligence process led by former CIA Director John Ratcliffe found procedural flaws but upheld the overall conclusion that Russia sought to help Trump.

Democratic Congressman Jim Himes responded on social media: “This is a lie. And if he’s confused, the President should ask @SecRubio,” referencing Trump’s Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, who co-led the bipartisan Senate probe that found no political manipulation in the original intelligence report.

The renewed attack on Obama comes as Trump faces pressure from his political base to release documents related to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, whom Trump once socialized with. Asked about Epstein, Trump pivoted to criticize Obama and Clinton instead.

Trump’s accusation of treason is not his first conspiracy-laden attack on Obama. In 2011, he falsely claimed Obama was not born in the U.S., pushing the debunked “birther” narrative.

More recently, he accused President Joe Biden of using an autopen to sign official documents, which the White House has dismissed as absurd.

Despite Trump’s repeated accusations, neither Gabbard’s documents nor any official investigation has found Obama responsible for manipulating intelligence or conspiring to sabotage Trump’s 2016 campaign.