Tulsi Gabbard releases documents targeting Obama over 2016 Russian interference

Director of Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard released newly declassified documents on Wednesday that, according to her, reveal efforts by senior Obama administration officials to politicise intelligence findings related to Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election.

During a press briefing, Gabbard claimed the Obama administration deliberately crafted a “false narrative” suggesting Russian President Vladimir Putin worked to help Donald Trump win the 2016 election.

“New evidence has emerged of the most egregious weaponization and politicization of intelligence in American history,” Gabbard said. “This was not an intelligence failure—it was an intelligence fabrication.”

She added that the documents show the January 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) was “manufactured” to falsely implicate Russian support for Trump, to undermine his legitimacy even before he took office.

Gabbard's remarks follow the release of a report initially drafted in 2017 by the Republican-led House Intelligence Committee. According to the report and corroborating details from newly released ODNI memos, the intelligence community's conclusion that Putin favored Trump allegedly lacked the same “professional rigor” applied to other judgments.

TRUMP ECHOES ACCUSATIONS

President Donald Trump amplified Gabbard’s claims, calling Obama the “ringleader” behind what he described as a “treasonous conspiracy” to delegitimise his presidency. “We caught them—Obama, Clinton, Susan Rice, and others. They thought it would all be buried in classified documents, but the truth is coming out,” Trump said.

Gabbard confirmed that the declassified materials have been referred to the Department of Justice and the FBI for further investigation. “No matter how powerful, every person involved must be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” she said.

The ODNI memo released alongside the report names several former intelligence leaders—including ex-DNI James Clapper, former CIA Director John Brennan, and former FBI Director James Comey—as having played key roles in crafting the disputed assessment.

OBAMA OFFICE DENOUNCES ALLEGATIONS

In a rare response, former President Obama’s office issued a statement strongly rejecting the claims. “These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction,” said spokesperson Patrick Rodenbush. “Nothing in the document undercuts the widely accepted conclusion that Russia sought to influence the 2016 election, though no votes were changed.”

Rodenbush pointed to the 2020 bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee report, led by Republican Chairman Marco Rubio, which affirmed that Russia interfered with the intention of aiding Trump.

Although Gabbard and Trump insist the documents expose a long-running conspiracy, major media outlets including CNN and The New York Times have noted that the newly released report is a revised version of a 2017 GOP-led investigation.

Furthermore, independent investigations and Senate findings over the past several years have consistently upheld that Russia engaged in efforts to interfere in the 2016 election, though no direct coordination with the Trump campaign was ever proven.

Trump Praises Gabbard

At a recent appearance, President Trump praised Director of Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, highlighting her role in releasing documents that allege former President Barack Obama led efforts to manipulate the 2016 election.

“Where’s Tulsi? She’s hotter than everyone,” Trump said, drawing laughter from the crowd. “She’s got the documents. She uncovered that Barack Hussein Obama led a group of people who rigged the election. They cheated—plain and simple.”
Trump went on to say that Gabbard assured him there’s more to come: “She told me, ‘You’ve seen nothing yet.’ We’re very proud of you, Tulsi. What happened wasn’t a loss—it was a stolen win.”

- Ends

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