Barack Obama slams Trump's ‘treason' claim over 2016 Russia probe as ‘ridiculous and weak attempt at distraction'
'These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction,' Obama spokesperson Patrick Rodenbush said.
'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.'
'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,' he said.
'These findings were affirmed in a 2020 report by the bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee, led by then-Chairman Marco Rubio.'
Earlier on Tuesday, President Donald Trump escalated tensions by accusing Obama and his top aides of committing 'treason' through their role in launching the Trump–Russia probe after 2016 election win. Trump's remarks came after Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard released declassified documents pointing to what she called politically driven intelligence manipulation during the Obama era.
Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump declared: 'It's there, he's guilty. This was treason. They tried to steal the election, they tried to obfuscate the election. They did things that nobody's ever imagined, even in other countries.'
The controversy stems from documents declassified by Gabbard, which name several senior officials — including former DNI James Clapper, CIA Director John Brennan, National Security Advisor Susan Rice, Secretary of State John Kerry, Attorney General Loretta Lynch, and Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe — as allegedly involved in shaping a narrative that tied Trump to Russia.
On Monday, Gabbard sent a criminal referral to the Department of Justice, urging an investigation into what she described as the politicization of intelligence and misuse of federal power by the Obama administration.
Gabbard's referral cites a December 9, 2016, meeting at the Obama White House, attended by Clapper, Brennan, Comey, and other top officials. According to her, Obama directed the Intelligence Community (IC) to craft a new intelligence assessment on Russian election interference.
"The next day (December 9, 2016), top national security officials, including FBI Director James Comey, CIA Director John Brennan and DNI James Clapper, gathered at the Obama White House to discuss Russia. Obama directed the IC to create a new intelligence assessment that detailed Russian election meddling, even though it would contradict multiple intelligence assessments released over the previous several months," Gabbard said in her statement.
Gabbard also accused Obama-era officials of orchestrating a media campaign to push the interference narrative. She claims classified details were leaked to major outlets to suggest that Russia hacked the election for Trump's benefit.
'Obama officials immediately leaned on their allies in the media to advance their falsehoods,' she stated. 'Anonymous IC sources leaked classified information... asserting Russia had intervened to hack the election in Trump's favor.'
In her statement, Gabbard demanded that 'every person involved in this conspiracy' be investigated and prosecuted by the DOJ.
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