Former President Barack Obama’s office strongly pushed back against Donald Trump’s recent accusation that Obama committed “treason” during the 2016 election. The statement called the claim “bizarre,” “ridiculous,” and simply a “weak attempt at distraction.”

Obama’s Team Responds Firmly

In a rare public comment on Tuesday, Obama spokesperson Patrick Rodenbush issued a firm response. He said the office usually avoids reacting to what he described as “nonsense” from Trump’s side. But this time, he said the claim went too far.

“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,” Rodenbush said.

He added, “These bizarre allegations are baseless and a clear effort to divert attention. Nothing in the recently released document contradicts the well-established conclusion that Russia sought to influence the 2016 election but did not alter any votes. These findings were reaffirmed in a 2020 bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee report led by then-Chairman Marco Rubio.”

Trump Makes Serious Charges Without Evidence

Trump had recently accused Obama of committing “treason.” He claimed—without offering proof—that Obama had led a secret plan to link Trump falsely to Russia and damage his 2016 campaign.

Trump made these remarks after referencing comments from his intelligence chief, Tulsi Gabbard, who made headlines on Friday. Gabbard suggested that some top officials from Obama’s administration might face prosecution over how they handled intelligence related to Russian interference in the 2016 election.

She also released declassified documents and claimed they showed a “treasonous conspiracy” aimed at undermining Trump’s rise to power.

Trump Doubles Down

Speaking on Tuesday, Trump said, “It’s there, he’s guilty. This was treason. They tried to steal the election, they tried to obfuscate the election. They did things that nobody’s ever imagined, even in other countries.”

Background and Context

Multiple investigations, including those by U.S. intelligence agencies and a bipartisan Senate panel, found that Russia did try to interfere in the 2016 election. However, none of these reports concluded that any votes were changed or that Obama led a conspiracy.

Obama’s office made it clear that Trump’s accusations have no basis in fact and are meant to shift focus from other pressing issues.