Washington, MINA – Former US President Barack Obama on Wednesday publicly responded to serious allegations made by current President Donald Trump, who accused him of orchestrating a coup attempt following the 2016 election.
In an official statement released by his office, Obama firmly rejected the accusations and referred to them as “a weak attempt at distraction.”
“Out of respect for the presidency as an institution, our office typically refrains from responding to the constant stream of misleading information coming from this White House,” the statement read, as quoted by Al Jazeera.
“However, this claim is outrageous enough to warrant a response. This bizarre accusation is utterly absurd and nothing more than a weak distraction tactic,” the statement continued. Obama’s office assessed the allegations as an effort to divert public attention from Trump’s ongoing legal troubles, including links to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
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The statement was issued after Trump publicly accused Obama of being involved in a conspiracy to overturn the results of the 2016 presidential election. The accusation came during a joint press conference with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the White House on Tuesday.
“From what I’ve read, I believe it was President Obama. He started it, and Biden was there with him. Also James Comey and James Clapper. The ringleader is Barack Hussein Obama. Heard that name before?” Trump said to the press.
He added: “This isn’t just evidence it’s indisputable proof that Obama is a subversive. He tried to lead a coup with Hillary Clinton and others. He’s guilty. It’s treason. They tried to steal the election.”
Trump’s allegations referred to an 11-page document released a few days earlier by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. The document accused several national security officials from the Obama era including former FBI Director James Comey and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper of conspiring to sabotage Trump’s 2016 election victory.
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Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman now serving in the Trump administration, urged the Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute the individuals named in the document.
Although the document has not been independently verified, its release has triggered a wave of speculation and intense political debate in the U.S. Analysts view the allegations as part of Trump’s strategy to rally political support ahead of the 2026 election, amid mounting legal pressures and international criticism.
Meanwhile, several Democratic Party figures have condemned the allegations as baseless political attacks that pose a threat to the stability of American democracy. [Nia]
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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