Former President Barack Obama’s office fired back on Wednesday after Donald Trump accused him of “treason” and attempting to rig the 2016 election. In a sharp response, Obama’s spokesperson dismissed the claims as “ridiculous” and a “weak attempt at distraction.”
The statement followed a fiery speech by President Trump, who alleged that Obama and his administration orchestrated a conspiracy to interfere with the 2016 presidential race—despite years of investigations finding that Russia, not the Obama administration, sought to influence the outcome in Trump’s favor.
“Our office does not normally dignify the constant nonsense and misinformation flowing out of this White House with a response,” said Patrick Rodenbush, spokesperson for Obama. “But these claims are outrageous enough to merit one. These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction.”
What Trump Said
Speaking on Tuesday, Trump claimed that Obama tried to sabotage his 2016 campaign and “steal” the election.
“It’s there—he’s guilty. This was treason,” Trump said. “They tried to steal the election. They did things no one could’ve imagined, even in other countries.”
Trump’s remarks came as he attempted to deflect a question about the Justice Department’s decision to interview Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime associate, Ghislaine Maxwell. Instead, he pivoted to blame Obama, accusing him of leading a “coup.”
“The witch hunt you should be talking about is they caught President Obama absolutely cold,” Trump said. “It’s time to go after people. Obama has been caught directly.”
Gabbard’s Role and Renewed Conspiracy Claims
The accusations were amplified by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who recently threatened to send criminal referrals against several Obama-era officials. Gabbard claimed that fabricated intelligence reports about Russian interference were part of a “treasonous conspiracy” to derail Trump’s presidency.
Her claims run contrary to multiple bipartisan investigations and intelligence assessments that confirmed Russia attempted to sway the 2016 election in Trump’s favor, including by targeting Hillary Clinton through cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns.
