Just when it seemed like the political focus was shifting to 2024 and beyond, a major flashback to the 2016 election stormed back into the spotlight.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has declassified more documents, reigniting long-standing tensions—and Donald Trump wasted no time pointing the finger squarely at former President Barack Obama.
Trump Calls Out Obama as Gabbard Drops Intelligence Committee Report
The latest batch of declassified documents includes a 2020 report from the House Intelligence Committee—one that reviews Russia’s efforts to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
This move came just one day after Trump dramatically accused Obama of “treason” and demanded an investigation into his administration’s role in what Trump calls the “Russia hoax.”
Although Trump won the 2016 election, the aftermath was messy.
His first term was clouded by allegations that his campaign colluded with Russia.
While the Mueller report cleared him of criminal conspiracy, Trump has long argued that the entire scandal was a political setup led by Obama-era officials.
Gabbard’s Push Sparks Fierce Reactions
Gabbard, now serving as the top U.S. intelligence official, has made headlines by backing Trump’s claims.
Just last week, she released a report accusing Obama of orchestrating a “treasonous conspiracy” against Trump.
This week’s declassification takes it further, questioning whether intelligence agencies back in 2016 were politically motivated.
The newly revealed report, originally overseen by then-House Intelligence Chair Devin Nunes, acknowledged that Russian President Vladimir Putin directed efforts to influence the election through hacks and leaks.
But it pushed back hard on the 2017 intelligence assessment that Putin actively favored Trump.
Instead, the report suggested that intelligence officials ignored evidence and selectively framed their findings to suit a narrative that Putin wanted Trump to win.
Inside the Report’s Controversial Claims
According to the declassified document, Putin’s true motivation may not have been to elect Trump at all—but rather to cause chaos, erode faith in U.S. democracy, and prepare to undermine what Moscow expected to be a Clinton presidency.
The report even suggested that Putin held back damaging material to use against Hillary Clinton if she had won.
In a sharp rebuke, the document slammed the original intel conclusions as being the work of just five CIA analysts and claimed the process was politically driven and ordered directly by Obama.
Critics Question Gabbard’s Role and Trump Heaps on Praise
While the declassified findings thrilled some on the MAGA side, others—like conservative commentator Andrew McCarthy—have openly questioned whether Gabbard is cherry-picking information or even reading the full scope of the intelligence reports.
Trump, however, had nothing but praise for her. During a Tuesday night meeting with House Republicans, he declared, “She’s hotter than everybody…
She found out that Barack Hussein Obama led a group of people, and they cheated in the elections.”
That comment came despite earlier tensions between Trump and Gabbard, particularly after her controversial video warning about nuclear annihilation from her trip to Hiroshima, which reportedly sidelined her from White House discussions on Iran and Israel.
Gabbard Doubles Down on Newsmax
Later that night, Gabbard appeared on Newsmax, brushing off Obama’s dismissal of the claims as “bizarre” and “a distraction.”
She announced that more documents would be released soon to back her position.
Her comments come amid an already volatile backdrop, as MAGA supporters clash over how the Trump administration has handled recent bombshell developments in the Jeffrey Epstein case.
Many are calling for transparency, with fresh interviews and more records demanded by Trump’s base.
Obama Team Dismisses the Claims as a Political Stunt
In response to the drama, Obama’s office issued a strongly worded statement: “These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction.”
They stood by the accepted conclusion that while Russia tried to influence the election, no actual votes were changed.
Meanwhile, the Iran Question Lingers
Outside of the election scandal, Gabbard continues to raise eyebrows within the administration.
Just a few months ago, she testified that Iran is not actively pursuing a nuclear weapon, despite its large stockpile of enriched uranium—another view that puts her at odds with more hawkish members of Trump’s team.