Trump Accuses Obama Of Treason In Explosive Claims Over 2016 Election.
United States President Donald Trump has made a sensational accusation against his predecessor, Barack Obama, alleging that the former president committed “treason” in connection with the 2016 election. The remarks, delivered during a press conference on Tuesday, 22 July 2025, have sparked widespread controversy and reignited debates over the contentious 2016 presidential campaign.
Speaking to reporters while hosting Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr to discuss Indo-Pacific security and economic partnerships, Trump claimed that recently declassified documents provide “irrefutable proof” of a conspiracy led by Obama to undermine his 2016 campaign. “The leader of the gang was Barack Hussein Obama. He’s guilty. This was treason,” Trump declared, pointing to a report by his Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, which alleges that Obama, along with former FBI Director James Comey, former CIA Director John Brennan, and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, orchestrated a plot to manipulate intelligence related to Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Trump asserted that the actions constituted an attempt to “steal the election” and described it as “the biggest scandal in the history of our country.” He called for immediate action from the Department of Justice, urging investigations into Obama and his associates. “They tried to obfuscate the election. They did things nobody’s ever imagined, even in other countries,” he added, without providing specific evidence during the briefing.
The allegations stem from a report issued by Gabbard on 18 July 2025, which claims that Obama administration officials “manufactured and politicised intelligence” to harm Trump’s campaign. Gabbard has stated she will refer the matter to the FBI, alleging a “treasonous conspiracy” in 2016. However, Democrats have dismissed the report as politically motivated and error-ridden, pointing to a comprehensive Senate Intelligence Committee review from 2020, endorsed by Republican members including current Secretary of State Marco Rubio, which found no evidence of vote manipulation by Russia but confirmed efforts to influence voters.
Legal experts have expressed scepticism about the claims, noting that treason, as defined by the U.S. Constitution, involves levying war against the United States or aiding its enemies, requiring testimony from two witnesses to the same overt act or a confession in open court. “The notion that Obama could be tried for treason is laughable,” said Alan Morrison, associate dean at George Washington University Law School, in a recent statement. Representative Jim Himes, a senior Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, called the accusations “baseless” and accused Gabbard of rehashing discredited claims to distract from other issues.
The remarks come amid heightened scrutiny of Trump’s administration, particularly following backlash over its handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case. Some observers suggest the accusations against Obama may be an attempt to shift focus from domestic controversies. Trump also referenced a debunked claim about a $12 million payment to Christopher Steele for a fraudulent dossier, further alleging that Obama’s orders were documented and recently declassified.
Obama’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment, though representatives have previously dismissed similar accusations as unfounded. The former president, who remains a popular figure among Democrats, was scheduled to appear at a virtual fundraiser with President Joe Biden on the same day, highlighting his continued influence in U.S. politics.
The allegations have drawn mixed reactions. Some Republican supporters, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, have expressed openness to further investigations, with Johnson stating he would not hesitate to subpoena Obama for a congressional committee. However, several Republican senators, including Lindsey Graham and Thom Tillis, distanced themselves from the treason charge in 2020 when similar claims surfaced, with Graham stating, “I don’t have any evidence to believe he committed treason.”
As the Department of Justice has not announced whether it will pursue charges based on Gabbard’s referral, the controversy is likely to fuel further political division. With Trump’s administration pushing to relitigate the 2016 and 2020 elections, the accusations against Obama underscore the ongoing tensions in American politics, raising questions about accountability, evidence, and the boundaries of political rhetoric.
