Former President Barack Obama’s office recently released an uncommon public statement, directly pushing back against President Donald Trump’s accusations of treason and election interference.
A spokesperson for Obama’s office explained that while they usually avoid responding to what they see as a constant flow of false claims from the current White House, the seriousness of these latest allegations required a reply.
According to NBC News, the Obama spokesperson, Patrick Rodenbush, said, “Out of respect for the office of the presidency, our office does not normally dignify the constant nonsense and misinformation flowing out of this White House with a response, but these claims are outrageous enough to merit one. These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction.”
Trump’s renewed focus on these accusations started during a press event where reporters asked him about Jeffrey Epstein. Trump quickly shifted the conversation, accusing Obama of “criminal behavior.” He claimed that, given past actions taken against him, it was now the right time to go after others, specifically saying Obama was directly involved in serious crimes during the 2016 and 2020 elections.
Obama made it clear Trump is trying to distract from Epstein
Trump flatly stated, “Look, he’s guilty. It’s not a question. This was treason. This was every word you can think of. They tried to steal the election. They tried to obfuscate the election.” When he was asked about Epstein, one of his friends.
Obama’s spokesperson also said, “Nothing in the document issued last week undercuts the widely accepted conclusion that Russia worked to influence the 2016 presidential election but did not successfully manipulate any votes. These findings were affirmed in a 2020 report by the bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee, led by then-Chairman Marco Rubio.”
A separate special counsel, appointed by a former Attorney General and supported by Trump, spent three years looking into claims that the Russia investigations were politically motivated. While this report criticized the FBI’s handling of the probe, saying senior FBI officials lacked proper analytical care, it did not find proof of criminal activity on the level Trump alleged.
The Senate report, on the other hand, was clear about Russia’s actions, stating that Russia’s 2016 hacking and leaking operation was meant to help Trump’s campaign and that Trump’s team welcomed, encouraged, and took advantage of Russia’s efforts. So it’s strange for Trump to claim the other side is at fault here.
Published: Jul 23, 2025 03:07 pm