Obama dismisses Trump's 'coup' claims, Tulsi Gabbard's document
Former US President Obama's office refuted Trump's demand for his prosecution, calling allegations of 2016 election interference a 'weak attempt at distraction'
Barack Obama has reacted to US President Donald Trump’s demand that he be prosecuted for trying to engineer a “coup” following Trump’s victory in the 2016 Presidential election by “manufacturing” evidence of interference by Russia in the electoral process. His office in a statement also refuted the document released by US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, wherein the allegation was made for the first time.
“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,” Obama’s office said in a statement.
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'Outrageous claims'
“But these claims are outrageous enough to merit one. These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction,” it added.
The statement also refuted the 11-page document released by US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard last week, where she alleged that there was a “treasonous conspiracy” hatched by Obama’s national security officials to the Justice Department, recommending their prosecution.
“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,” added the statement, reported The Guardian.
It further stated that the findings “were affirmed” in a 2020 report by the “bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee” led by erstwhile Chairman Marco Rubio.
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What Trump said
The rebuttal by Obama comes days after US President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House that it was Obama who was the “leader of the gang.”
“Based on what I read, and I read pretty much what you read, it would be President Obama. He started it, and Biden was there with him. And [James] Comey [the former FBI director] was there, and [James] Clapper [the former director of national intelligence], the whole group was there,” Trump was quoted by The Guardian as saying.
“This isn’t like evidence. This is like proof, irrefutable proof that Obama was sedatious [sic], that Obama … was trying to lead a coup, and it was with Hillary Clinton, with all these other people, but Obama headed it up,” added Trump.
He further alleged that Trump was “guilty” and it was “treason”. “This was every word you can think of.. They tried to steal the election. They tried to obfuscate the election. They did things that nobody’s ever even imagined,” said Trump.