Obama fires off spectacular comeback after Trump's threat to criminally prosecute him over Russia hoax
'Out of respect for the office of the presidency, our office does not normally dignify the constant nonsense and misinformation flowing out of this White House with a response. But these claims are outrageous enough to merit one, said Patrick Rodenbush, a spokesman for Obama's office.
'These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction,' he added.
The former president's spokesman then turned to the report of Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, who alleged that the Obama administration 'manufactured and politicized intelligence' against Trump.
'Nothing in the document issued last week undercuts the widely accepted conclusion that Russia worked to influence the 2016 presidential election but did not successfully manipulate any votes. These findings were affirmed in a 2020 report by the bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee, led by then-Chairman Marco Rubio.'
That last lined needled Trump's secretary of state and national security advisor, who was seated next to the president during his extended discourse on Obama and his team.
Trump and Obama have a fraught relationship, although they were spotted chatting in what appeared to be amiable fashion at Jimmy Carter's funeral in January. Trump rode 'birther' conspiracies about Obama to influence in his first successful run for president.
And Obama's roasting of Trump at the White House Correspondents' Dinner in 2011 still looms large in Trump's inspiration to finally pursue the White House.
The pushback from Obama's team came after Trump issued an extraordinary call Tuesday to investigate the former president – saying he had been caught 'cold' and accusing his predecessor of 'treason.'
Trump issued his stunning series of attacks on the two-term Democratic president shortly after being asked yet another question about Jeffrey Epstein – a matter that is itself so explosive that House Republican leaders sent members home on recess, thereby avoiding a difficult vote on the issue.
Trump attempted to turn the tables, referring repeatedly to a new report released by his Director of National Intelligence that accused Obama of being behind a 'treasonous conspiracy' to fabricate what Trump repeatedly calls the Russia 'hoax' to bring him down.
Intel chief Tulsi Gabbard made a series of criminal referrals to Pam Bondi's Justice Department and the agency is reportedly considering the request.
'After what they did to me, whether it's right or wrong, it's time to go after people,' Trump said while seated next to Philippine President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos, Jr. in the Oval Office.
Trump was asked who the Justice Department should investigate following the report's release for a potential criminal referral. He didn't hesitate to name Obama and top members of his security team.
'It would be President Obama – who started it – and Biden was there with him, and [James] Comey was there, and [James] Clapper, the whole group was there,' Trump responded.
At another point, Trump said Attorney General Pam Bondi should 'act' on the matter – while also indicating it was at her discretion.
'We have a very competent, very good, very loyal to our country person in Pam Bondi – very respected. And she – it's going to be her decision,' Trump said.
Trump repeated calls to prosecute a wide circle of former Democratic officials come after he posted AI-generated video images of Obama being arrested and thrown in jail wearing an orange jumpsuit.
Trump accused his rivals of organizing a failed 'coup' in 2016, when he defeated Hillary Clinton and captured the White House.
Trump faced four criminal trials during his last campaign, with the January 6 case, his Florida classified documents case, and his New York 'hush money' case all vanishing after he won the election and captured the White House.
A New York jury convicted him of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, but it proved to be a rallying cry for his base and part of his campaign message that nefarious forces would do anything to try and halt his comeback.
The president fingered Obama for trying to 'head a coup' with acolytes like former FBI Director James Comey and former DNI Director James Clapper doing his dirty work.
Trump also called the Steele report, which examined his campaign's ties to Russia, as 'all lies' and a 'fabrication.'
The Mueller Report found that while Russia did interfere in the 2016 election, the Trump campaign did not conspire or coordinate with the Russian government, despite at least 140 contacts between the Trump campaign and Russian nationals.
Trump has hammered his rivals for what he calls 'no collusion' ever since, even though Mueller himself never used that term.
During his extended answer, Trump referred to the first black president as 'the leader of the gang,' and called Clinton 'as crooked as a three-dollar bill.'
His comments come six months into Trump's second term, following a campaign where he both vowed 'retribution' but also said he would allow law enforcement officials to make their own decisions on who to charge.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BreakingNews.ie
22 minutes ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Trump, Carney to speak in coming days, Canadian official says
US President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will likely talk "over the next number of days" after the U.S. imposed a 35 per cent tariff on goods not covered by the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, a Canadian official said on Sunday. Dominic LeBlanc, the federal cabinet minister in charge of U.S.-Canada trade, also told CBS News' "Face the Nation" that he was "encouraged" by recent discussions and believed a deal to bring down tariffs remained an option. Advertisement "We're encouraged by the conversations with Secretary Lutnick and Ambassador Greer, but we're not yet where we need to go to get the deal that's in the best interest of the two economies," LeBlanc said, referring to U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. The trade minister said he expected Carney and Trump to speak "over the next number of days." "We think there is an option of striking a deal that will bring down some of these tariffs provide greater certainty to investment," LeBlanc said. Washington linked Friday's tariff announcement in part to what it said was Canada's failure to stop fentanyl smuggling. It was the latest blow in a months-long tariff war which Trump initiated shortly after returning to power this year. Carney says Canada accounts for just 1 per cent of U.S. fentanyl imports and has been working intensively to further reduce the volumes.
Daily Mail
22 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Seven twisted rapists who abused kids in underground bunker could face death penalty for deplorable crimes
Two lawmakers in Alabama are pushing to make child rape cases eligible for the death penalty, after a gang of seven were arrested in a horrific sexual abuse case. Police in Bibb County said the group subjected their victims, one of whom was just three years old at the time, to heinous sexual attacks inside a nightmarish underground bunker. William Chase McElroy, 21; Dalton Terrell, 21; Timothy St. John, 23; and Ricky Terrell, 44, are facing rape charges for allegedly sexually abusing small children. Three others - Andres Trejo-Velazquez, 29; Rebecca Brewer, 29; and Sara Louis Terrell, 41 - were also arrested in connection to the crimes. Rep. Matt Simpson and state Senator April Weaver are organizing a bill that would make those convicted of rape or sodomy of a child younger than 12 eligible for the death penalty. Speaking earlier this week, Rep. Simpson said: 'When you have situations like what happened in Bibb County, that would be up to the Bibb County prosecutor. 'But this would be a tool that they would have in their belt that they could if they decided to use that.' Weaver added: 'I defy anyone anywhere with any conscience or any sense of morals to look at this case and others like it and argue the death penalty is not appropriate.' Rep. Matt Simpson, left, and state Senator April Weaver are organizing a bill that would make those convicted of rape or sodomy of a child younger than 12 eligible for the death penalty The victims in the case, aged between three and 15, were abused with shock collars and raped inside the grimy storm bunker in Brent. At least two of the victims were found performing sexual acts on each other, with some of the victims said to include some of the suspects' own children. Images shared by police of the inside show a lone stained mattress with no sheets or blankets was seen stuffed in a corner of the barren and dirty room. The outside of the bunker, which was located near a family member of McElroy, didn't look any better in repair with a shabby roof and a desolate appearance. The suspects would allegedly arrange and pay for the children and abuse them inside the storm bunker. The group also allegedly used a shock collar as a form of punishment, court documents said. Police began investigating the group in early February after a tip from the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR). After they were discovered, the children allegedly told investigators that McElroy had abused them, taught them sexual acts and what they did to each other. William Chase McElroy, 21, (left) and Timothy St. John, 23, (right) face rape charges, among others Andres Trejo-Velazquez was charged with human trafficking. His citizenship is also being investigated. And at least one member of the group has been connected to a Mexican gang known for using sex trafficking as its main source of income 'He would tie one child to the bed, one child to a chair and one to one of the support poles,' Assistant District Attorney Bryan Jones said of Velazquez-Trejo, whose citizenship is now being investigated. Velazquez-Trejo has also been accused of using a white powder in the children's drinks to drug them. He also allegedly sold nude images of the children. 'As bad as it sounds with [Velazquez-Trejo] drugging them, it may be a blessing in disguise because they don't remember a lot of things,' Jones said. The group also sold the children for up to $1,000 a night to abusers. Dalton paid at least two adults to use the children, who are now three, six, eight, and 10. And at least one of the seven has been connected to a Mexican gang that uses sex trafficking as its main source of income. St. John has also been accused of having sex with a dog. All the children are now in the custody of DHR. And authorities are still investigating how many children were abused. McElroy was charged with rape, sodomy, and human trafficking. Dalton was charged with rape, sodomy, human trafficking, and kidnapping. St. John was charged rape, sodomy, human trafficking, kidnapping, bestiality, and cruelty to animals. Trejo-Velazquez was charged with human trafficking. Brewer was charged with human trafficking, kidnapping, and sexual torture. Ricky was charged with rape. Sara was charged with sexual torture and sexual abuse of a child less than 12 years old. They are expected back in court for their arraignment in August.
Daily Mail
22 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Brave 6'4 cyclist who stepped in to stop crazed man harassing kids at train stop is butchered to death
A courageous cyclist was stabbed to death by a crazed man at a San Francisco train stop after he stepped in to protect a mother and her kids who were being harassed. Colden Kimber, 28, was fatally jabbed in the neck with a six-inch blade on July 26 while waiting at a Muni stop in the Ingleside neighborhood with his girlfriend. The couple had just gone on a date before making their way to the stop that was surrounded by children and families when Sean Collins, 29, walked up. As they waited, Kimber decided to bravely get in between Collins and a woman with her children as he shouted: 'Oh you think you are better than me' and 'You are scared of me,' court documents obtained by KGO said. While 6'4in Kimber stood directly in front of Collins as the train approached, the knifeman 'stabbed the unsuspecting victim on the right side of his neck,' records showed. Following the 'completely and utterly unprovoked' attack, Kimber stopped moving as blood gushed out of his neck, the court filing read. He was rushed to San Francisco General Hospital where he died after undergoing surgery. Shortly after the deadly incident, Collins was found covered in blood by police blocks away from the scene and taken into custody. Surveillance footage from a nearby restaurant also captured Collins walking in the area dressed in an all black outfit. Collins has been charged with murder and is due in court for his arraignment on August 14. It is unclear what drove him to stab Kimber, but according to court documents, the Superior Court of California received a report regarding his mental health. The results of the report remain unclear at this time. Cameras at the Muni station captured the attack and two child witnesses, aged eight and 14, saw the horror stabbing occur, according to prosecutors. Now, Kimber's loved ones are trying to make sense of the crime that took the life of someone who was trying to save others. Bradley Woehl, the owner of American Cyclery, where Kimber worked, said he is a 'totally irreplaceable' employee who he will miss dearly. 'I'm going to miss him for his good nature and his kind spirit, and he really lived such an exemplary life. He was a very positive influence on myself and my staff,' Woehl told KGO. He added that Kimber worked at the shop for years, where he would repair and even build new bikes for customers. 'He is totally irreplaceable as a worker, and totally irreplaceable as a friend and person and someone who had a good influence in my life,' his boss added. Kimber discovered his passion for cycling when he took his mother's place in the New York triathlon after she had to drop out while fighting breast cancer, she told the San Francisco Chronicle. 'He had never ridden a bike on a road,' Lara Litchfield-Kimber said. 'The bikes were the things that stuck.' After relocating from New York to California in 2020 with his long-time girlfriend, Kimber joined the Dolce Vita Cycling team as well as a semiprofessional ice hockey team in Vacaville. He previously played hockey growing up, his mother explained. Kimber loved biking so much he would be on his bike for 12,000-13,000 miles some years, per the Chronicle. When he wasn't dabbling in sports, Kimber was studying kinesiology at San Francisco State University. He dreamed of working in sports medicine. Kimber (pictured) discovered his passion for cycling when he took his mother's place in the New York triathlon after she had to drop out while fighting breast cancer Litchfield-Kimber set up a GoFundMe page to help support their family during this difficult time. 'Colden unwillingly leaves behind a loving partner of seven years, his little sister who is just getting into road cycling, friends young and old, beloved cycling and hockey communities on both sides of the country, and his family who was immensely proud of the man he had become,' she wrote. In addition to trying to plan services and memorials for her late son, his grieving mother said his family plans to 'simultaneously navigate a criminal homicide trial from across the country and all the unknowns of this unfamiliar process.' As of Sunday afternoon more than $81,500 was raised to help them out.
