• Obama's spokesperson calls Trump's claims a "weak attempt at distraction."
• Trump alleges Obama was involved in treason related to Russian interference.
• Claims reiterated by Tulsi Gabbard regarding supposed manipulation of intelligence.
• 2016 bipartisan report reaffirms that Russia attempted interference but did not manipulate votes.
• Democrats view the accusations as a diversion from critical issues like the Epstein controversy.

Former President Barack Obama's office issued a rare public statement Tuesday, rebutting President Donald Trump's outrageous claims of "treason" and alleged manipulation of intelligence linked to Russian interference in the 2016 election. Patrick Rodenbush, a spokesperson for Obama, stated that these "bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction," emphasizing that they normally do not respond to misinformation from the Trump White House, but these claims warranted a response due to their severity, according to The Hill and HuffPost.

Trump's allegations, predicated on statements by National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard, suggest that Obama manipulated intelligence to undermine his presidency. Rodenbush countered that the recent documents cited by Trump did not contradict the widely accepted conclusion that Russia attempted to influence the 2016 presidential election without successfully manipulating votes. He referenced a bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee report from 2020, affirming these findings, according to India Times and HuffPost.

In a continuation of his claims, Trump stated during a press meeting that Obama should face "severe consequences" for his administration's actions and suggested that they were criminal. This assertion includes involvement by several other former officials, indirectly casting a shadow over the legitimacy of the past election, according to sources including The Hill and India Times.

Democratic officials have criticized Trump's accusations as a diversion from pressing issues, including the ongoing scrutiny about Jeffrey Epstein. House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar mentioned that Trump's focus might be an effort to distract from more significant investigations, particularly concerning his own administration. Ned Price, a former spokesman for the National Security Council during the Obama administration, suggested Gabbard was attempting to create a conflict to cover up for Trump’s own controversies, according to HuffPost and India Times.