Allegations of a Coup Against Trump by Obama Administration

National Intelligence Director Tarsi Gabbard claimed on Sunday Morning Futures that the Obama administration manipulated intelligence reports to suggest that Russian interference was responsible for President Donald Trump’s victory in the 2016 election. Gabbard referred to a document released on Friday, which outlines what she describes as a “long-standing coup” against Trump following his defeat of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

She characterized the actions taken by the Obama administration as “historic” and emphasized that the released documents indicate a coordinated effort just weeks before Obama left office after Trump’s election. In her view, the issue transcends party lines, stating, “it’s not a Democrat or Republican issue.”

Gabbard elaborated, saying there was a clear dissatisfaction within the Obama administration regarding Trump’s election, contrasting it with other assessments prior to the election. She expressed that, contrary to established intelligence, the narrative of Russian interference had been adopted despite a lack of evidence.

On another note, Gabbard noted that former British spy Christopher Steele, whose documents initiated the FBI’s investigation into the Trump campaign’s alleged collusion with Russia, produced false claims. These claims were pivotal in obtaining a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrant for former Trump aide Carter Page.

A report from Special Advisor John Durham in May 2023 concluded that the FBI’s investigation relied on unverified intelligence and did not substantiate the allegations in the Steele dossier. During a trial in October 2022, FBI analyst Brian Orton testified that the FBI had offered Steele $1 million for verifiable evidence, but he failed to provide any.

In her closing remarks, Gabbard stated, “What President Obama and his national security team did effectively undermined the American people’s will and undermined our Democratic Republic, representing a coup against Trump, who was legally elected.” She also referenced that Clinton’s campaign and the Democratic National Committee had faced fines from the Federal Election Commission in 2022.