Trump accuses Obama of ‘treason’ amid new claims by Tulsi Gabbard

In a stunning and politically charged appearance at the White House, President Donald Trump on Tuesday, 22 July, accused former president Barack Obama of leading a “treasonous conspiracy” to overturn the 2016 election and sabotage his presidency.

The remarks came as Trump hosted Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for a bilateral meeting focused on trade and defence — one that quickly veered into explosive territory.

“The leader of the gang was president Obama,” Trump said during a press conference. “We now have irrefutable proof. This was treason — criminal at the highest level.”

The accusations were amplified by director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who last week released newly declassified documents that she said reveal “overwhelming evidence” of a coordinated effort by the Obama administration to subvert Trump’s 2016 election victory.

According to Gabbard, intelligence officials initially assessed that Russia was not attempting to influence the election outcome. But after Trump’s victory, top Obama-era officials — including James Clapper, John Brennan, Susan Rice, and others — allegedly convened to push a new intelligence assessment “per the President’s request,” fabricating evidence to support the Russia collusion narrative.

Gabbard claimed this politically motivated intelligence led to years of disruption, including the Mueller probe, Trump’s impeachments, and what she described as “a years-long coup”.

“The information we are releasing today clearly shows there was a treasonous conspiracy in 2016 committed by officials at the highest level of our government,” Gabbard said in a statement. “Their goal was to subvert the will of the American people and enact what was essentially a years-long coup.”

She vowed to provide all relevant documents to the Department of Justice for potential prosecution.

Trump, emboldened by Gabbard’s findings, lashed out at Obama, Hillary Clinton, and others, accusing them of trying to rig both the 2016 and 2020 elections. “Obama’s orders are on the paper. His fingerprints are everywhere. This is the biggest scandal in the history of our country,” Trump said.

Reacting to this,  Obama spokesperson Patrick Rodenbush slammed Trump’s accusations as “outrageous”.

“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,” Rodenbush said in a statement. “But these claims are outrageous enough to merit one. These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction.”

Despite the firestorm, Marcos sought to keep the focus on U.S.-Philippine ties, reiterating his country’s commitment to its “ironclad” alliance with Washington and emphasizing a need for regional stability.

Trump also announced that pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca would invest $50 billion in US manufacturing — a move he attributed to “strong tariff policy” — and suggested that a trade agreement with the Philippines was nearing completion. 

Courtesy: 5wh.com