Barack Obama has finally responded after Donald Trump accused him of committing treason over the 2016 election. The rare Obama statement on Trump treason claim directly counters the former president’s inflammatory accusations. The claim, made without evidence, stirred widespread criticism.
Obama’s team called it “bizarre,” marking a rare but forceful pushback amid escalating rhetoric from Trump and his allies.
Obama Statement on Trump Treason Claim: “Outrageous and Ridiculous”
Speaking through spokesperson Patrick Rodenbush, Obama called Trump’s treason accusation “bizarre,” “ridiculous,” and “a weak attempt at distraction.”
“Out of respect for the office of the presidency, our office does not normally dignify the constant nonsense and misinformation… But these claims are outrageous enough to merit one,” Rodenbush stated.
Trump had claimed from the Oval Office that Obama was “guilty” of treason for allegedly undermining the 2016 election. “They tried to steal the election,” he said, asserting—without proof—that Obama’s administration used intelligence to cast doubt on his victory.
Obama’s team pointed to a bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee report that concluded Russia interfered in the 2016 election to support Trump—contradicting Trump’s narrative entirely.
Rodenbush added:
“These bizarre allegations are ridiculous… Nothing undercuts the widely accepted conclusion that Russia worked to influence the 2016 presidential election but did not manipulate any votes.”
The History Behind the Treason Accusation
This isn’t the first time Trump has accused Obama of wrongdoing. For years, Trump pushed the false “birther” conspiracy, claiming Obama wasn’t born in the U.S.
The “treason” claim surfaced again after Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s recently appointed Director of National Intelligence, suggested legal action against Obama officials. She cited unproven conspiracy theories linking them to an attempt to discredit Trump’s win.
Despite the rhetoric, no evidence has been presented by Trump or Gabbard to back up the treason claims.
Meanwhile, Obama has mostly stayed silent throughout the Trump era—but this time, his office made an exception.
“For a former president to be accused of treason with zero proof is dangerous and absurd,” one political analyst commented.