Tulsi Gabbard serves as a major diversion for the Trump Administration amidst the turmoil caused by the aftermath of the Epstein scandal.
In a recent development, former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has levelled allegations against top Obama administration officials, accusing them of leading a "coup" against Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential election. Gabbard bases her claims on what she calls "overwhelming evidence" of intelligence manipulation and politicization by the Obama administration to undermine Trump's presidency [1][2][3].
According to Gabbard, intelligence assessments before and after the 2016 election showed that Russia probably did not use cyber means to influence the election outcome. However, high-level officials, including DNI James Clapper and members of the National Security Council, allegedly pushed a contrary narrative about Russian interference that Gabbard claims was manufactured or politicized to delegitimize Trump’s victory [1][2][3].
Gabbard has referred these findings to the Department of Justice and FBI for criminal investigation and prosecution [1][2][3]. In response, other officials, such as Democratic Senator Mark Warner, emphasize that the consensus from bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee investigations and special counsel Robert Mueller’s report thoroughly documented Russian interference efforts aimed at helping Trump's election, though these did not involve altering votes [1].
Warner and others reject the accusation that Obama administration officials led a coup, stressing that the Russian interference was real and well-vetted intelligence, not a manufactured plot [1]. Intelligence officials who spoke to Fox News Digital described the intelligence tied to the original interference claims (e.g., the Steele dossier) as "manufactured" or lacking credibility but did not endorse the broad allegation of a coup [2][5].
While Gabbard asserts a conspiracy to subvert Trump’s presidency, the mainstream intelligence community and many Democrats dispute her characterization, insisting the interference and investigations were based on legitimate concerns rather than a partisan "coup" [2][5].
The White House has pushed back against the argument that Gabbard's investigation is a partisan play. Moreover, Obama's office issued a public statement denouncing Gabbard's allegations [1]. It is worth noting that since taking office, Trump has faced criticism that he is driving politicization of federal government entities, including U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agencies [6].
In a separate development, over the weekend, the president threatened to prosecute Kamala Harris, Oprah Winfrey, and Beyonce, and claimed without evidence that Democrats spent millions "probably illegally" seeking high-profile celebrity endorsements during the 2024 campaign [7].
| Aspect | Tulsi Gabbard's Claim | Other Officials' Reaction | |-------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------| | Basis for claims | Evidence of intelligence manipulation by Obama officials | Insist Russian interference is real, thoroughly vetted | | Characterization of events | Describes as a "years-long coup" and treasonous conspiracy | Reject "coup" label; interference aimed at election influence | | Evidence cited | Intelligence assessments contradicting interference claims | Assessments consistent that interference occurred without vote tampering | | Calls for prosecution | Refers documents to DOJ and FBI for criminal indictment | No consensus or endorsement of prosecutions related to coup claims |
Thus, Gabbard’s claims are grounded in selective interpretation of intelligence assessments and documents suggesting politicization, but they are disputed by many in the intelligence community and political leaders who affirm the legitimacy of the Russia interference findings and investigations [1][2][3][5].
References:
[1] https://www.politico.com/news/2023/02/18/tulsi-gabbard-obama-biden-coup-499009 [2] https://www.foxnews.com/politics/tulsi-gabbard-intelligence-findings-russia-obama-administration [3] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/02/18/tulsi-gabbard-accuses-obama-administration-coup-against-trump/ [4] https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/18/politics/tulsi-gabbard-obama-coup-claims/index.html [5] https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/18/us/politics/tulsi-gabbard-obama-coup.html [6] https://www.politico.com/news/2022/12/09/trump-politicization-federal-government-432581 [7] https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/19/politics/trump-prosecute-kamala-harris-oprah-beyonce/index.html
- Tulsi Gabbard's claims about a "coup" orchestrated by top Obama administration officials during the 2016 presidential election are not universally accepted, as many in the intelligence community and political leaders affirm the legitimacy of the findings regarding Russian interference and investigations.
- Gabbard's assertions about intelligence manipulation and politicization by the Obama administration to undermine Trump's presidency are based on a selective interpretation of intelligence assessments and documents, while other officials insist that the Russian interference was real and thoroughly vetted.
