lipflip – Former President Barack Obama has issued a rare public statement rejecting Donald Trump’s latest accusations that he tried to lead a coup. Trump recently claimed that Obama orchestrated a “treasonous conspiracy” to undermine his presidency by fabricating evidence of Russian interference in the 2016 election.
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The allegations came during a press event at the White House. Where Trump was meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. In front of reporters. Trump claimed Obama “started it” and described him as the “leader of the gang” behind the supposed plot. Trump also implicated President Joe Biden and former intelligence officials James Comey and James Clapper in the alleged conspiracy.
In response, Obama’s office released a sharply worded statement rejecting Trump’s claims. “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,” the statement said. “But these claims are outrageous enough to merit one. These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction.”
This is one of the few occasions Obama has directly addressed Trump’s rhetoric since leaving office. Signaling the seriousness with which his team views the accusation. The statement underscores that the allegations lack credibility and were likely aimed at shifting attention from other matters.
Obama Office Dismisses Intelligence Report Cited by Trump
Trump’s remarks were largely based on an 11-page report released by former congresswoman and current Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard. In the document, Gabbard accuses officials from the Obama administration of engaging in a coordinated effort to discredit Trump’s victory in 2016. She claims to have submitted evidence to the Department of Justice recommending prosecution.
Obama’s statement dismissed the report, calling it misleading and factually inaccurate. It said, “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.” It also cited the 2020 bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee report, led by Republican Senator Marco Rubio, which upheld those findings.
Gabbard’s report suggests that the Obama administration manipulated intelligence agencies into falsely blaming Russia. However, experts argue the report conflates unrelated issues and misrepresents key findings from multiple U.S. intelligence bodies. These agencies previously concluded that Russia interfered to aid Trump and harm Hillary Clinton, primarily through cyberattacks and the leaking of hacked documents.
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As Trump hinted at more documents to come, claiming Gabbard had “thousands” of pages of new evidence. Critics questioned the motivations and credibility behind the renewed focus on the 2016 election. Observers see it as a political tactic to shift public focus ahead of ongoing legal and electoral challenges facing Trump.
Obama’s forceful rebuttal appears intended to reaffirm trust in U.S. intelligence findings and protect democratic norms from unfounded allegations. His response also highlights the dangers of disinformation and its impact on political discourse in the United States.