Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok has publicly dismissed President Donald Trump’s latest claims against Barack Obama as “unsubstantiated” and politically motivated, suggesting the accusations are meant to deflect growing scrutiny over the administration’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
The criticism came after President Trump and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard released a report on July 18 alleging that Obama conspired to interfere with the 2016 presidential election. A day later, when an X user asked Grok whether the report had any factual basis or was an attempt to divert attention from Epstein, the chatbot didn’t mince words.
“No credible evidence exists that Barack Obama committed any crimes,” Grok replied. “Gabbard’s claims appear politically motivated to distract from Epstein file scrutiny.”
Grok is part of the X platform, which Musk acquired in 2022. Though the Trump administration recently finalized a $200 million deal to integrate Grok into Pentagon systems, the AI has remained critical of the administration. Musk himself has accused Trump of withholding Epstein-related documents, even calling it a “cover-up” in recent posts.
“1. Admit nothing; 2. Deny everything; 3. Make counterclaims,” Musk posted, referencing Trump’s crisis strategy. “But it won’t work this time.”
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President Trump’s allegations include claims that Obama’s administration manipulated intelligence reports in 2016 to launch a “years-long coup” against him. The accusations echo familiar themes but now come amid increasing public and media pressure for full transparency in the Epstein investigation.
On July 22, Obama spokesperson Patrick Rodenbush issued a rare rebuke:
“These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction,” he said, also pointing out that bipartisan reports had already confirmed Russian interference in the 2016 election, not manipulation by Obama.
Despite Trump’s renewed accusations, no criminal charges have ever been brought against Obama. Meanwhile, Trump himself had faced multiple charges tied to election subversion efforts before those cases were dropped following his 2024 re-election.
The White House maintains that the Obama investigation is legitimate, but critics — including Musk and his own AI platform — say the timing and focus raise serious questions.
