President Donald Trump delivered a potent demand on Tuesday for the Department of Justice to commence an investigation into former President Barack Obama. The accusation centers on an alleged scheme by Obama to distort intelligence related to Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, which Trump labeled a "treasonous conspiracy" with the intent to sabotage his presidency from the outset.
The bold statement was made in the Oval Office during a meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. When probed about who the DOJ should scrutinize in light of new disclosures by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Trump unhesitatingly implicated his predecessor. As reported by the New York Post, Trump declared, "Whether it’s right or wrong, it’s time to go after people. It’s criminal at the highest level."
This follows the release of a report last Friday by Gabbard, who declassified documents indicating that Obama administration officials might have intentionally misrepresented intelligence regarding Russian election meddling. Trump asserts that these materials reveal a deliberate effort by top intelligence figures, including then-Vice President Joe Biden, FBI Director James Comey, DNI James Clapper, and CIA Director John Brennan, to thwart his incoming administration.
The Hill quoted Trump saying, "If you look at those papers, they have him stone-cold... It wasn’t lots of people all over the place, it was them. They tried to steal the election. They tried to obfuscate the election." Gabbard has referred these findings to the DOJ, advocating for a criminal investigation into what she deems a direct assault on democratic processes, as per a Resist the Mainstream report.
Trump, who earlier this year authorized the declassification of all files related to the FBI's "Crossfire Hurricane" investigation, hinted at additional evidence yet to be disclosed. He mentioned Gabbard's notification of "thousands of additional documents" soon to be publicized, which he believes will further substantiate the calls for accountability.
"This was treason, this was every word you could think of," Trump continued. "They got caught, and there should be very severe consequences for that." He reaffirmed his longstanding assertion that the Russia probe was a politically charged onslaught initiated by the Obama administration.
Trump also alluded to Hillary Clinton, acknowledging his past decision to forgo charges against her because of her status as a former first lady, but now implied that such leniency should cease.
Amidst questions regarding reports that Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche contacted attorneys representing Ghislaine Maxwell, Trump redirected the focus to the Gabbard documents. He emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, "The witch hunt that you should be talking about if they caught President Obama absolutely cold, Tulsi Gabbard. What they did to this country in 2016, starting in 2016 but going up all the way to 2020 and the election, they tried to rig the election and they got caught and there should be very severe consequences for that."
The recent revelations have sparked renewed debate over the role of intelligence agencies in domestic politics and have amplified calls for transparency and accountability. While the potential legal ramifications remain uncertain, Trump has made it clear that he expects significant repercussions for those implicated.
