Category: Obamagate

Unsubstantiated conspiracy theory that Barack Obama illegally plotted to undermine Trump’s administration and presidency

Trump Accuses Obama of Crimes in Evasive Conspiracy Rant

In a recent outburst, Donald Trump accused former President Barack Obama of engaging in “criminal acts” during remarks made to reporters. This tirade was part of a wider effort by Trump to divert media attention from the ongoing scrutiny surrounding his administration’s connection to deceased sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein. The controversy was exacerbated by a recent document release from the Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, which Trump aimed to undermine through his accusations against Obama.

Trump’s strategy appears to involve shifting the narrative away from himself amid rising pressures related to Epstein. The former president voiced his belief that the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on presidential immunity could be beneficial for Obama, stating, “It probably helps him a lot,” while simultaneously reasserting his claims of wrongdoing against him. Trump’s remarks reflect a desperate attempt to distance himself from the implications of Epstein’s scandal, even as the evidence continues to emerge.

During the interaction with White House correspondent Jon Decker, Trump’s insistence on Obama’s alleged criminality further exemplified his ongoing need to deflect scrutiny. He described the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity as potentially advantageous for Obama, reinforcing the idea that while Obama may avoid legal repercussions, those surrounding him may not be as fortunate. Trump’s perverse sense of gratitude for this immunity ruling indicates his recognition of its potential implications, especially amid allegations against himself.

Trump’s rhetoric serves not only as a tactic to escape accountability but also as a threat to democratic norms, employing baseless allegations as a weapon against political rivals. By continually promoting conspiracy theories and unverified claims, he undermines legitimate discourse and fosters an atmosphere of fear and mistrust. This cycle of attack mirrors tactics often employed by authoritarian leaders, further signaling a departure from democratic principles.

As highlights of Trump’s conspiracy-fueled discourse intensify, it is evident that his actions are not just political posturing but a manifestation of an ongoing campaign to destabilize trust in the political system. The focus should remain firmly on the serious issues surrounding Epstein and the implications of Trump’s actions, rather than indulging in his distraction-laden narratives aimed at deflecting from his own accountability.

(h/t: https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/trump-flat-out-accuses-obama-of-criminal-acts-in-new-conspiracy-rant-to-reporters/)

Tulsi Gabbard Misrepresents Russia’s 2016 Election Interference to Defend Trump

Tulsi Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence, has recently sought to distort the widely accepted narrative regarding Russian interference in the 2016 election, asserting that the established consensus is misguided. Both the U.S. intelligence community and multiple bipartisan investigations, including the Mueller report, have consistently affirmed that Russia intervened in the election to aid Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton. Gabbard’s claims appear to align with Trump’s agenda, suggesting that President Obama orchestrated this interference narrative to undermine Trump’s legitimacy—a perspective that lacks any factual basis.

In her revisionist account, Gabbard claims that Obama manipulated intelligence assessments following the election to frame Russia’s actions as meddling, which she and Trump have characterized as treasonous acts. This characterization not only misrepresents historical facts but also irresponsibly invokes the severity of treason without justification. Former President Obama has publicly countered Gabbard’s assertions, emphasizing their falsehood amidst a backdrop of documented evidence supporting claims of Russian preference for Trump.

Gabbard’s attempts to discredit the intelligence community’s findings include releasing declassified documents which she argues contradict previous assessments. However, the released materials do not substantiate her claims; instead, they reveal a fundamental misunderstanding of the intelligence cited, which emphasized Russia’s cyber interference and influence operations aimed at aiding Trump’s campaign. Even officials who have scrutinized the intelligence findings have labeled Gabbard’s arguments as misleading, thereby reaffirming the legitimacy of the original assessments.

The Senate Intelligence Committee, which conducted an in-depth investigation into Russian interference, has reached conclusions that strengthen the established narrative, finding strong evidence of Kremlin efforts to assist Trump. This finding starkly contrasts with Gabbard’s narrative, highlighting the depth of collaboration between the Trump campaign and Russian operatives, despite Trump’s persistent denial of any wrongdoing. Trump paired Gabbard’s claims with calls for legal inquiries into the Obama administration, underscoring an ongoing strategy of deflecting scrutiny from his own administration by sowing seeds of mistrust against established institutions.

In summary, Gabbard’s attempt to challenge the consensus on Russian interference serves to further the same disinformation campaigns that have plagued American politics. Despite her and Trump’s assertions, substantive, bipartisan reports validate the intelligence community’s assessments, revealing a troubling connection between Trump’s campaign and Russian efforts to undermine the democratic process. The continued propagation of these conspiracy theories by Trump and Gabbard compromises the integrity of U.S. institutions while eroding public trust in democracy itself.

(h/t: https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/26/politics/gabbard-2016-election-interference-russia-analysis)

Trump demands Obama be made to testify in the Senate

For the past few days, President Trump has been talking nonstop about something he has termed “OBAMAGATE” — a largely incoherent conspiracy theory that positions former President Obama as the mastermind behind a conspiracy to use federal law enforcement to undermine Trump’s campaign and presidency.

It is, in effect, the new birtherism: an unfounded campaign against the legitimacy of America’s first black president that Trump is trying to exploit to rally the political faithful.

This morning, Trump seriously escalated his campaign against Obama, tweeting at one of his most reliable supporters in the Senate, Lindsey Graham, to force Obama to testify before Congress about this allegedly dastardly plot.

The specific wording of the tweet — “Do it… just do it” — is striking; the request sounds like a childish dare, as if Trump were daring Graham to shave his head during a late-night Zoom call. But the absurdity of the language shouldn’t distract from the nefariousness of the request.

The president of the United States is labeling a fringe right-wing conspiracy theory “the biggest political crime and scandal in the history of the USA, by FAR.” He’s also more or less ordering a particularly compliant senator — who happens to chair the Judiciary Committee — to use the powers of the Senate to treat one of his predecessors as a potential criminal suspect or witness on the basis of this conspiracy theory.

Throughout Trump’s presidency, he has consistently treated the investigatory and law enforcement powers of the US government as tools to be deployed for purely political reasons. During the coronavirus crisis, when his presidency is once again in mortal danger, he has stepped on the gas on this kind of abuse of power — the Justice Department has dropped charges against Trump’s former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who had pleaded guilty,and Trump now seems to be trying to get them to treat Obama like a criminal.

In democracies, presidents are not supposed to use law enforcement agencies as shields for their crooked political allies and swords against their political enemies. The threat that Trump poses to the rule of law, and the basic principles of a free society, has never been clearer.

[Vox]

Update

Graham denied Trump’s request.

Trump refuses to say what crime he is accusing Obama of committing

President Trump repeatedly declined at a press briefing to specify what crime he accused former President Obama of committing in a series of tweets over the weekend and Monday morning, telling reporters: “You know what the crime is. The crime is very obvious to everybody.”

Why it matters: In the wake of the Justice Department’s decision to drop charges against former national security adviser Michael Flynn, Trump has sent hundreds of tweets and retweets of conservative media — many of which use the phrase “Obamagate” — that allege the Russia investigation was a political hit job directed by the former president.

  • Trump called it the “biggest political crime in American history, by far!” on Sunday and tweeted that “OBAMAGATE makes Watergate look small time” on Monday morning.
  • He also responded to an article from The Federalist on Monday that asked why Obama allegedly told the FBI under James Comey to withhold intelligence from the incoming Trump administration: “Because it was OBAMAGATE, and he and Sleepy Joe led the charge. The most corrupt administration in U.S. history!”

What they’re saying: Trump told reporters on Monday: “Obamagate, it’s been going on for a long time. … Some terrible things happened, and it should never be allowed to happen in our country again. And you’ll be seeing what’s going on over the coming weeks.”

[Axios]