Former President Barack Obama has released a statement reacting to President Donald Trump who accused him and some officials from his administration of engaging in ‘treason’ by stirring up false intelligence about supposed Russian meddling in the 2016 election.
In the statement, Obama’s office noted, “Typically, we avoid dignifying the constant stream of nonsense pouring out of this White House with a response. However, these outrageous claims demand a reply. These allegations are absurd and are clearly an attempt at distraction.”
Importance of the Situation
Trump’s relationship with Obama has famously been rocky. The accusation that Obama committed treason has received widespread criticism, as many see it as a ploy to shift focus away from the ongoing discussions surrounding the Jeffrey Epstein documents.
Obama’s Response to Trump’s Allegations
According to Obama’s spokesperson, Patrick Rodenbush, the former president rarely comments on Trump’s speculations. However, he reb Trump’s and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard‘s claims: “Nothing in the recently issued document contradicts the widely accepted view that Russia sought to influence the 2016 election without successfully tampering with votes,” he elaborated, citing a bipartisan report from the Senate Intelligence Committee in 2020.
During a press conference in the Oval Office, Trump described Obama as “the mastermind of the group” involved in the Russia investigation. “He’s guilty… This is treason,” Trump declared emphatically.
This outburst occurred while Trump was meeting with the leader of the Philippines, coinciding with Gabbard’s new report that sought to reshape perceptions of the Russia probe, which has seemed to haunt the President for years.
Gabbard’s document emphasized internal communications from the Obama administration that indicated officials believed prior to and after the presidential election that there was no vote manipulation via state electoral systems. Yet, the Obama administration was transparent about various other ways Russia interfered in the electoral process, including significant hack-and-leak operations of Democrats’ emails facilitated by WikiLeaks, along with a covert campaign to manipulate public opinion through misleading social media posts.
The content of Gabbard’s findings appears to suggest that the absence of compromised state election processes could somehow undermine the understanding of more extensive Russian interference.
Is Jail Time Possible for Barack Obama?
On Tuesday, aside from Obama, Trump rattled off several names he accuses of being involved in high-level criminal acts, including former FBI Director James Comey and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He without evidence labeled Obama as the orchestrator of a plot against him.
However, there have never been accusations against Obama in connection with the Russia investigation, and last year’s landmark Supreme Court decision effectively protects former presidents from prosecution related to their official duties.
Understanding Treason
Treason, according to the U.S. Constitution (Article III, Section 3), is defined as an act of war against the nation or providing aid to enemies of the United States. A person can be convicted of treason only based on the testimony of two witnesses or a confession in court.
Simply put, it means betraying one’s allegiance to the United States, either by waging war against it or by supporting its adversaries. Attempts to help overthrow the government may also fall under this definition.
Historically, there have been only about 40 treason trials in the U.S., with many not ending in conviction.
Public Reactions
House Speaker Mike Johnson recently remarked on CBS: “The individuals being criticized now were part of a deceitful scheme, selling a baseless story to the American public. They directly lied on camera, clearly knowing what they were doing at all times. Accountability is necessary for these actions.”
DNI Tulsi Gabbard commented on Fox News: “This is a case of deflection coming from former President Obama and his friends in current Congress.”
What Comes Next?
Currently, the U.S. Department of Justice has announced no formal investigation, but Speaker Johnson hinted he would back a subpoena against Obama.
Story developed with input from the Associated Press.
Update 7/22/25, 5:55 p.m. ET: Additional information has been added to this article.
