US President Donald Trump accused former President Barack Obama of "treason" on Tuesday, citing declassified documents presented by his intelligence chief, Tulsi Gabbard. Trump claimed the documents showed the Obama administration initiated an investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, alleging an attempt to "steal" the election. He offered no evidence to support his accusations. Trump's comments deflected questions about the Justice Department's interview of Ghislaine Maxwell.

The Obama office responded, calling Trump's allegations "bizarre," "ridiculous," and a "weak attempt at distraction." A 2017 US intelligence assessment concluded Russia interfered in the 2016 election but found the impact was likely limited and didn't alter the outcome. A 2020 bipartisan Senate report found the Trump campaign sought to "maximize the impact" of leaked Democratic documents stolen by Russian military intelligence.

Impact Statement: Trump's unsubstantiated accusations further polarize the political climate and raise questions about his motivations for deflecting inquiries into the Epstein case.