Donald Trump Says Barack Obama Committed 'Treason' Amid Epstein Fallout

 

Trump Accuses Obama of "Treason" Amid Renewed Scrutiny Over Russia Probe and Epstein Fallout

Former President Donald Trump has once again made headlines by accusing his predecessor, Barack Obama, of "treason." The accusation came during a recent Oval Office appearance, where Trump suggested that officials from the Obama-era intelligence community conspired to undermine his presidency.

Trump’s remarks follow growing tension within conservative circles over his administration’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case. Facing criticism from some of his own supporters, Trump appeared eager to redirect attention toward what he described as "unlawful actions" by former government officials.

He named former FBI Director James Comey, former CIA Director John Brennan, and Obama himself, claiming they coordinated efforts to discredit him before and after the 2016 election. “After what they did to me—right or wrong—it’s time to go after people,” Trump said, signaling a desire to revive politically charged investigations.

His comments were partially prompted by a July 18 press release from Tulsi Gabbard—recently appointed Director of National Intelligence under Trump—who alleged that Obama administration officials “manufactured and politicized intelligence” to support claims of Russian interference in 2016. Gabbard stated she had referred the matter to the Department of Justice for potential prosecution.

Gabbard’s statement read:

“The information we are releasing today clearly shows there was a treasonous conspiracy in 2016 committed by officials at the highest level of our government. Their goal was to subvert the will of the American people and enact what was essentially a years-long coup.”

Critics, however, view these allegations as an attempt to deflect from ongoing questions surrounding Trump’s ties to Epstein and the delayed release of related documents. Legal experts, including former federal prosecutor Peter Zeidenberg, expressed skepticism:

“Not only is there no credible allegation against Obama, the statute of limitations would have run out long ago. This is just a distraction,” he told Newsweek.

During his Tuesday remarks, Trump reiterated his belief that Obama was the “leader of the gang” behind what he describes as efforts to delegitimize both the 2016 and 2020 elections. He again used Obama’s full name—“Barack Hussein Obama”—a rhetorical habit dating back to Trump’s earlier criticisms of Obama’s heritage and political background.

What Is Russiagate?

The term refers to multiple investigations into whether the Trump campaign conspired with Russia to influence the 2016 election. While the Mueller investigation did not conclude there was criminal conspiracy, it did identify significant Russian interference. In 2023, special counsel John Durham concluded that the FBI should not have launched its probe based on the limited intelligence available at the time.

However, U.S. Senate investigators—both Democrats and Republicans—have supported the findings of Russian interference. Senator Mark Warner, vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, responded on X:

“The Russian government directed extensive activity against U.S. election infrastructure... used social media to conduct an information warfare campaign... and did so to benefit Donald Trump.”

As of now, the Department of Justice has not announced any criminal investigations stemming from Gabbard’s referral, and there are no confirmed efforts to subpoena Obama or other former officials.