In a rare and pointed rebuttal, former President Barack Obama has dismissed what his office called “bizarre allegations” made by Donald Trump, who on Tuesday accused his predecessor of orchestrating the Trump–Russia investigation.
Speaking from the Oval Office during a meeting with the president of the Philippines, Trump alleged that Obama masterminded the “Russiagate” scandal and should face criminal investigation. He claimed the intelligence used to justify the probe was “manufactured” during Obama’s administration.
Obama’s spokesman, Patrick Rodenbush, responded with a strongly worded statement:
“Out of respect for the office of the presidency, our office does not normally dignify the constant nonsense and misinformation coming out of this White House with a response. But these claims are outrageous enough to merit one.”
He continued, “These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction. Nothing in the document released last week undercuts the widely accepted conclusion that Russia interfered in the 2016 election but didn’t manipulate votes.”
Rodenbush pointed to the 2020 bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee report, led by then-Chairman Marco Rubio, which reaffirmed those findings.
The statement followed the release of newly declassified documents by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. Gabbard claimed the files contain “overwhelming evidence” that senior Obama officials—including Obama himself—politicised intelligence following Trump’s 2016 victory to sustain a narrative of Russian collusion.
Among those named were members of Obama’s National Security Council, DNI James Clapper, CIA Director John Brennan, national security adviser Susan Rice, Secretary of State John Kerry, Attorney General Loretta Lynch, and Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe.
Gabbard accused the Obama administration of manipulating intelligence, contrary to the assessments of the broader intelligence community. She said she has sent a criminal referral to the Justice Department, though the DOJ has not confirmed who may be under investigation.
Pressed on who should be held accountable, Trump was direct: “President Obama. He started it.”
He added, “Biden was there with him, and so were Comey, Clapper, Brennan—everyone was in the room. This room. It was all of them.”
Trump said his administration holds key documents and that Gabbard is preparing to release thousands more. He also claimed the idea came from “crooked Hillary Clinton,” who, according to Trump, spent $12 million on the now-discredited Steele dossier.
That dossier served as the basis for FISA warrants against Trump adviser Carter Page. Though funded by the Clinton campaign and the DNC through the law firm Perkins Coie, the dossier was widely seen as unverified. Still, it was included in the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment—allegedly under pressure from top officials.
Trump labelled the dossier “a disaster—lies, fabrication, admitted fraud,” and said it took two years to expose it as fake.
“We caught Hillary Clinton. We got Barack Hussein Obama,” he said. “Susan Rice, all of them.”
Trump also claimed Obama-era officials classified documents to hide the truth.
“They thought if it’s classified, no one will ever see it—but it doesn’t work like that,” he said. “This is the most unbelievable thing I’ve ever read.”
Among the declassified materials is a July 28, 2016 memo from then-CIA Director Brennan, briefing Obama on a plan from one of Clinton’s foreign policy advisers “to vilify Donald Trump by stirring up a scandal claiming interference by Russian intelligence.” The note, first reported by Fox News Digital in 2020, also referenced Clinton’s approval of the plan.
That intelligence was forwarded to FBI Director James Comey and Deputy Assistant Director of Counterintelligence Peter Strzok under the heading “Crossfire Hurricane.”
Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who later took over the Crossfire Hurricane probe, concluded in 2019 that there was no evidence of a criminal conspiracy between Trump’s campaign and Russia.
Following Mueller’s report, Special Counsel John Durham was tasked with investigating the probe’s origins. He concluded that the FBI ignored warnings that the bureau might have been politically manipulated by Clinton associates.
Now, former CIA Director Brennan and ex-FBI Director Comey are reportedly under criminal investigation, led by FBI Director Kash Patel.
