Former President Barack Obama is not known for responding to the noise, but this time, his office broke its silence. After Donald Trump accused Obama of committing treason and rigging both the 2016 and 2020 elections, the former president’s team delivered a rare but sharp rebuke.
“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,” said Obama spokesperson Patrick Rodenbush in a public statement. “But these claims are outrageous enough to merit one. These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction.”
The statement was made in response to remarks made by Trump during a press conference where he was asked about the late Jeffrey Epstein. Instead of addressing the question, Trump pivoted to slamming Obama with claims of election fraud and criminal behavior.
“After what they did to me, and whether it’s right or wrong, it’s time to go after people. Obama’s been caught directly. What they did in 2016 and 2020 is very criminal. It’s criminal at the highest level,” Trump told reporters. “So that’s really the things you should be talking about. 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.”
Trump’s accusations appear to be tied to controversial claims from National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, who have suggested that certain Obama-era officials attempted to discredit Trump’s 2016 win. Gabbard even tweeted last week about her plans to submit a criminal referral to the Justice Department.
Democrats swiftly responded to what they see as an attempt to deflect public focus from other controversies, including Epstein’s connections. Senator Mark Warner of Virginia did not hold back. “This is just another example of the DNI trying to cook the books, rewrite history, and erode trust in the intelligence agencies she’s supposed to be leading.”
House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar of California echoed that sentiment, telling NBC News, “They’ll release anything if it buys them another day or two to not talk about Epstein or to get the angry mob to talk about Epstein.”
With Obama clapping back and the political back-and-forth heating up, the spotlight is shifting yet again in Washington. Whether the latest accusations hold any weight or are merely political theater, the tension between past and present presidencies continues to escalate.