In a rare and sharply worded statement, former President Barack Obama’s office rebuked Donald Trump’s treason charges. The backlash comes after Trump accused his predecessor of orchestrating a “treasonous conspiracy” tied to the 2016 Russia investigation.
Obama’s communications director, Patrick Rodenbush, described Trump’s claims as “a weak attempt at distraction.” He emphasized:
“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,” he stated.
“But these claims are outrageous enough to merit one. These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction.”
Rodenbush continued:
“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.”
His remarks directly countered Trump’s assertion that Obama led a criminal conspiracy to rig the 2016 election.
Trump doubles down in Oval Office
Speaking in the Oval Office on July 22 during a meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Trump insisted:
“The leader of the gang was President Obama, Barack Hussein Obama… He’s guilty. This was treason. This was every word you can think of. They tried to steal the election. They tried to obfuscate the election.”
Trump offered no evidence to support his claim, instead invoking recently declassified materials from Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. Gabbard’s document alleges that Obama-era intelligence assessments were politically manipulated. Trump called it “irrefutable proof” of wrongdoing and urged the Department of Justice to take action.
Bipartisan reports challenge the accusation
Legal experts and bipartisan investigations have consistently refuted the notion that Obama or his team committed treason.
- A 2020 bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee report concluded Russia interfered in the 2016 election, but found no evidence that vote totals were manipulated.
- Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s 2019 report reached similar conclusions, finding extensive Russian interference but no collusion that changed the outcome.
Former DOJ officials also weigh in. Elliot Williams, for example, remarked that intelligence disputes do not meet the constitutional bar for treason. (TIME) Meanwhile, intelligence analysts have labeled Gabbard’s document “politically motivated” and factually inconsistent.
Political tensions mount amid Epstein scrutiny
Observers see Trump’s treason allegations as a calculated diversion. He is facing fresh pressure related to sealed documents tied to the Jeffrey Epstein case.
Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok on X also called Trump’s accusations “baseless” and suggested the motive was stigma deflection.