Gabbard accuses Obama officials of weaponizing intel to frame Trump; Grassley to declassify key documents tied to 2016 election investigations
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of Justice confirmed Monday that it has officially received a criminal referral from Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who is accusing officials from the Obama administration of fabricating intelligence to kickstart the Trump-Russia collusion narrative during the 2016 election.
While DOJ officials declined to comment further, they confirmed to Fox News that Gabbard’s referral has been received and is under review.
Gabbard Accuses Obama Team of Orchestrating a “Treasonous” Conspiracy
Gabbard made waves late last week after publicly releasing a batch of unclassified documents she says show “overwhelming evidence” that then-President Barack Obama and members of his national security team manipulated intelligence to undermine President Donald Trump following his election victory over Hillary Clinton.
“Their goal was to usurp President Trump and subvert the will of the American people,” Gabbard posted Friday on X. “Every person involved in this conspiracy must be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The integrity of our democratic republic depends on it.”
The documents reportedly trace how top Obama officials politicized raw intelligence and used it to build the basis for the yearslong Trump-Russia collusion investigation—a probe that ultimately yielded no charges related to conspiracy.
Gabbard Calls the Scandal ‘Historic’
In an appearance on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo, Gabbard emphasized the gravity of her claims.
“The implications of this are frankly nothing short of historic,” she said. “Over 100 documents show that this conspiracy was directed by President Obama just weeks before he left office—after President Trump had already been elected. This isn’t about party politics. This is about safeguarding our democracy.”
Trump Reacts with Viral Video on Truth Social
In response, former President Trump posted a dramatic video to his Truth Social account. The clip begins with high-profile Democrats—Obama among them—declaring that “no one is above the law.” It then cuts to an AI-generated scene of Obama being arrested in the Oval Office as the song “YMCA” plays in the background.
Grassley to Release Key Appendix to 2018 DOJ IG Report
Separately, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) announced Monday that he will declassify the appendix to a 2018 Department of Justice Inspector General report. The document is expected to shed light on how the Justice Department handled both the Trump-Russia investigation and the Clinton email probe.
Fox News has learned that the appendix centers on the FBI’s investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server during her time as Secretary of State. Although then-FBI Director James Comey publicly criticized Clinton’s mishandling of classified material, he ultimately recommended against prosecution.
What Comes Next?
It remains unclear how the DOJ will proceed with Gabbard’s referral. Per standard protocol, a referral does not automatically trigger a criminal investigation, but it can prompt reviews or inquiries if deemed credible.
Meanwhile, sources inside the DOJ tell Fox News that criminal investigations have already been quietly opened into former intelligence officials, including John Brennan and James Comey, who were deeply involved in the early stages of the Trump-Russia probe.
Gabbard says she will continue pressing for transparency and accountability, calling the matter “too serious to ignore—no matter who it implicates.”
