Trump Alleges Obama Led Treasonous Plot in 2016 Russia Investigation
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has launched a scathing attack on his predecessor, Barack Obama, accusing him of treason and demanding his prosecution over a controversial new intelligence report.
The claim stems from a report released Friday by U.S. Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, which alleges that key figures in the Obama administration manipulated intelligence reports on Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
“Based on what I read and I read pretty much what you read, it would be President Obama. He started it,” Trump said during a press event in the Oval Office with visiting Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos.
Gabbard Sends Criminal Referrals to Justice Department
Allegations of a “Treasonous Conspiracy”
In a stunning move, Gabbard submitted criminal referrals to the U.S. Department of Justice, asserting that Obama-era officials created false intelligence to justify investigations into the Trump campaign. She claims the objective was to stage a long-term political coup against Trump’s presidency.
Among those named by Gabbard and echoed by Trump are:
Joe Biden (Obama’s Vice President)
James Comey (Former FBI Director)
James Clapper (Former Director of National Intelligence)
John Brennan (Former CIA Director)
Trump described Obama as the “leader of the gang,” calling the alleged manipulation an act of treason.
Existing Evidence Contradicts Claims
Multiple Investigations Support Russian Interference Findings
Gabbard’s report directly contradicts the findings of at least four separate criminal, intelligence, and oversight investigations conducted between 2019 and 2023. All concluded that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to support Trump’s candidacy.
A key report from 2020 by the bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee led at the time by Marco Rubio, now Trump’s Secretary of State found that the Trump campaign sought to “maximize the impact” of Democratic emails hacked and leaked by Russian military intelligence.
Trump Under Fire for AI Video of Obama
“It is our conclusion… that the Russian intelligence services’ assault on the integrity of the 2016 US electoral process, and Trump and his associates’ participation in and enabling of this Russian activity, represents one of the single most grave counterintelligence threats to American national security in the modern era,” the report stated.
Critics Blast Trump for Escalating Rhetoric
Just a day before his treason remarks, Trump drew criticism for sharing an AI-generated video depicting Barack Obama being arrested. Critics say the video stokes dangerous misinformation and inflames political tensions ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Despite the backlash and existing evidence affirming Russia’s interference, Trump has continued to label the investigations into his campaign a “hoax.”
