Trump Accuses Obama of ‘Treason’ in Escalating Rhetorical Offensive

By Staff, Agencies

US President Donald Trump accused former President Barack Obama of “treason” on Tuesday, marking a new peak in his long-running campaign to target political rivals.

Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump declared, “Obama’s been caught directly. He’s guilty. This was treason”—a grave charge that, under US law, carries the death penalty. Trump offered no evidence to support the claim.

The outburst came amid growing scrutiny over Trump’s own alleged mishandling of sensitive documents linked to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. It also followed similarly unsubstantiated claims from Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who alleged that Obama orchestrated a “coup” in 2016 to block Trump’s rise to power. Gabbard’s accusations relied on selectively presented documents she claimed proved the Obama administration manipulated intelligence to justify the FBI’s Russia investigation.

Trump amplified the narrative, repeating his discredited claim that the Russia probe was a “deep-state” conspiracy to overturn the 2016 election. “They tried to steal the election,” he said.

Legal analysts have warned that Trump’s repeated invocation of “treason” is more than rhetorical, reflecting an increasingly dangerous politicization of federal institutions. Critics argue the president is attempting to deflect attention from ongoing investigations involving Epstein and to settle personal scores using the justice system.

Trump’s escalating rhetoric, observers note, poses broader risks to democratic norms by portraying political opposition as criminal betrayal.