𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗠𝗣 𝗔𝗖𝗖𝗨𝗦𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗕𝗔𝗠𝗔 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗢𝗡 𝗪𝗛𝗜𝗟𝗘 𝗦𝗨𝗣𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗘𝗣𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗜𝗡 𝗙𝗜𝗟𝗘𝗦

 Sources: Time Magazine, Al Jazeera 

President Donald Trump has escalated his attacks on predecessor Barack Obama, accusing him of treason without evidence, as his own administration faces growing pressure over its handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case.

Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Trump declared, “He’s guilty. It’s not a question. This was treason.” The statement marked a sharp departure from Trump’s past deference to the justice system, such as in 2020, when he offered well-wishes to Epstein’s longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell while she awaited trial on sex trafficking charges.

Now, Trump is deflecting attention away from renewed scrutiny over his ties to Epstein and frustration among his right-wing supporters about his administration’s failure to release promised information on the disgraced financier. Earlier this month, Trump’s Justice Department moved to close the case, despite years of promoting conspiracy theories that claimed elites were protected from prosecution.

At the White House, Trump dismissed the ongoing controversy as a “witch hunt,” instead insisting the real scandal involves Obama. “They tried to rig the election, and they got caught,” he said, referring to recently declassified documents by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. Gabbard claims the Obama administration manipulated intelligence during the 2016 Russia investigation in what she called a “treasonous conspiracy.”

Trump alleged Obama led a group of high-profile figures, including Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, and former intelligence officials, in an effort to sabotage his presidency. “This is the biggest scandal in the history of our country,” he said. “It’s time to go after people.”

Obama’s office issued a rare statement in response, calling Trump’s claims “outrageous,” “ridiculous,” and a “weak attempt at distraction.” A spokesperson pointed out that bipartisan investigations have already confirmed Russia’s interference in the 2016 election, but found no evidence that votes were changed. The findings were reaffirmed in a 2020 report led by Republican Senator Marco Rubio, who now serves as Trump’s Secretary of State and acting National Security Adviser.

Democrats have accused Trump of trying to change the subject. Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland posted on X, “It’s clear he wants us talking about anything other than his refusal to release the Epstein files… or rising prices.” Former Obama aide and commentator Tommy Vietor added, “Nothing has made me more confident that Trump committed crimes with Jeffrey Epstein and is now covering them up.”

Gabbard, speaking on Fox News, defended her declassification effort and suggested more evidence would be released. Trump said she told him there are “thousands of additional documents coming.”

Despite the explosive accusations, legal experts say there's no serious case against Obama. Elliot Williams, a former deputy assistant attorney general, told CNN that treason is narrowly defined in the U.S. Constitution and doesn’t apply to what Gabbard described. Disagreements over intelligence assessments, Williams said, “are not treason.” He added that presidential immunity, recently expanded by the Supreme Court in Trump’s favor, would likely shield Obama from prosecution even if there were a case.

Legal scholars have pointed out the irony in Trump invoking the very presidential immunity he has benefited from to now target Obama. Texas A&M law professor Milan Markovic noted the Supreme Court ruling makes evidence of wrongdoing essentially irrelevant when applied to a former president’s official acts. Still, conservative legal figures like Mike Davis argue Obama could be prosecuted for what they claim is an ongoing conspiracy.

“Justice is coming,” Davis warned Democrats in a recent interview. “The Bureau of Prisons will have plenty of space for these people.”

Trump’s latest claims come as he continues to recycle disproven allegations that the 2020 election was stolen and that he remains the rightful president. His statements have drawn concern from legal analysts, who see the attacks on Obama as part of a broader pattern of using unfounded charges to delegitimize political opponents.

Meanwhile, the White House offered no clarity on what consequences Trump expects for Obama. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said only that the matter was in the Justice Department’s hands.

As Trump renews his focus on old grievances and conspiracy theories, critics argue the latest accusations serve more as a political diversion than a credible legal argument.