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The Independent
26 minutes ago
- The Independent
John Bolton slams Tulsi Gabbard over ‘treasonous' Obama report: ‘She's imagined evidence that doesn't exist'
John Bolton, Trump's former national security advisor, slammed Tulsi Gabbard's report accusing former President Barack Obama of engaging in a 'years-long coup' against President Donald Trump. Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence, last week declassified evidence that she said revealed a 'treasonous conspiracy' committed by Obama and his government over the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election. Bolton, a frequent Trump critic, called Gabbard's findings 'exaggerated' and lacking in substance. 'She's strung together a series of things that aren't necessarily related, she's exaggerated what actual congressional reports have said, she's imagined evidence that doesn't exist,' Bolton said Friday on NewsNation. 'So, if anybody really gets into it, it collapses pretty quickly. But as a campaign to save her job, I think it actually worked out pretty successfully for her,' he continued. Last month, Politico reported that the president was 'down on her.' 'Whether it succeeded in distracting from the Jeffrey Epstein affair, I don't know,' he added, alluding to the media firestorm over Trump's ties to the late sex offender that has plagued the administration for weeks. 'But there is, in substance, nothing to it and certainly no justification for the Justice Department to launch a criminal investigation.' Gabbard's report accuses Obama and the former intelligence community of leaking false information to the media and using 'politicized intelligence' to subvert Trump's 2016 election victory. She addressed the report from the White House this week. The report uses an investigation by Republicans in the House of Representatives, and go against CIA reports that Russia tried to help Trump in 2016. 'The information we are releasing today clearly shows there was a treasonous conspiracy in 2016 committed by officials at the highest level of our government,' the director of national intelligence said in a statement. 'Their goal was to subvert the will of the American people and enact what was essentially a years-long coup with the objective of trying to usurp the President from fulfilling the mandate bestowed upon him by the American people.' In the wake of the report's release, Democrats — including Obama — have accused the Trump administration of trying to use it to distract from the uproar over the so-called Epstein files. "These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction,' a spokesperson for the office of the former president said. Trump has been trying to distance himself from Epstein. He even went so far as to claim the Epstein files were a 'hoax' cooked up by Democrats, including Obama, former President Biden, and former FBI Director James Comey. The Epstein files have dominated the news cycle ever since the Justice Department released a July 6 memo that stated there would be no further disclosures and that there was no evidence to support the existence of a client list, putting a decisive end to months-long anticipation for more information on the case. Outrage ensued, with members of Congress and Trump's MAGA base alike calling for heightened transparency. Attorney General Pam Bondi released 'Phase 1' of the Epstein files in February; that same month, she said the 'client list' was sitting on her desk.


BreakingNews.ie
27 minutes ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Appeal for movements of car night before mother and two children were killed
Detectives investigating the deaths of a woman and her two teenage children in Co Fermanagh have appealed for information about the movements of a car the night before they died. Vanessa Whyte, 45, a vet originally from Co Clare, her son James, 14, and daughter Sara, 13, died following a shooting incident at a house in Maguiresbridge on Wednesday morning. Advertisement Detectives from the major investigation team, who are carrying out the murder investigation, said they are continuing with their inquiries and are appealing for information involving the movements of a vehicle. Flowers and a teddy bear laid close to the scene of a triple shooting on Wednesday in Drummeer Road in Maguiresbridge, Co Fermanagh. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA. Detective Chief Inspector Neil McGuinness said: 'Our investigation is ongoing and we are working tirelessly to determine the exact circumstances of this tragedy. 'I would continue to appeal generally for anyone with information to come forward and more specifically I would ask anyone who saw a silver Mercedes saloon car being driven in the Clones Road area of Newtownbutler, or between Maguiresbridge and Newtownbutler, on the evening of Tuesday July 22 to call detectives on 101, quoting reference 276 23/07/25. 'Anyone who was travelling in the area and who may have captured dashcam footage which could assist, please get in touch.' Advertisement A fourth person, a man who was a member of the same household, remains in a serious condition in hospital in Belfast following the incident on Wednesday. A murder investigation has been launched and police said a triple murder and attempted suicide is one line of inquiry being pursued. On Friday, hundreds of people attended a community vigil for the family. The vigil was organised by a community group and held at Maguiresbridge Primary School, where James and Sara previously attended. Advertisement People attend a vigil for Vanessa Whyte and her children James and Sara at Maguiresbridge Primary School. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA. A book of condolence, set up next to a framed photo of the family and surrounded by white flowers and candles, was also opened at the school. Ireland Hundreds gather at vigil for mother and children k... Read More The deaths have caused widespread shock across the small Co Fermanagh community. Flowers, teddy bears and an Arsenal football top with written notes have been laid close to scene of the incident in Drummeer Road. Anyone with information is asked to provide it to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at Advertisement


Telegraph
27 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Mandelson ‘called Epstein my best pal'
Lord Mandelson called Jeffrey Epstein 'my best pal' in a birthday message, according to reports. The Labour grandee, Britain's ambassador to the United States, is alleged to have written the message for a birthday album put together for the paedophile financier's 50th birthday in 2003. Recent reports have rocked Washington amid claims that Donald Trump, the US president, and Bill Clinton, the former president, also sent letters for the album. Mr Trump fiercely denied the claims, while Mr Clinton has not commented. The letter from Lord Mandelson, in which he called Epstein 'my best pal', featured photographs of a tropical island and whiskey, according to The Wall Street Journal. The album is said to have been examined by the justice department when it investigated the paedophile, who was charged with sex trafficking in 2019 and later killed himself in his Manhattan prison cell. It marks an embarrassing development for Lord Mandelson both in the US, where high-profile figures are under pressure over their association with Epstein, and in Britain, where Sir Keir Starmer has previously been urged to sever ties with the ambassador over the relationship. A spokesman for Lord Mandelson declined to comment on the allegations. Dinner parties and shopping trips Epstein appeared to maintain a 'particularly close relationship' with Lord Mandelson, whom he affectionately referred to as 'Petie', according to court documents released two years ago. A 2002 New York Magazine article listed Lord Mandelson as a dinner-party guest at Epstein's Manhattan home, along with Mr Trump and Mr Clinton. Photographs have shown Lord Mandelson and Epstein shopping for clothes in the Caribbean in 2005, in which the former Cabinet minister tries on a white leather belt, and celebrating a birthday at the financier's Paris apartment in 2007. Earlier this year, Lord Mandelson claimed the media had an 'obsession' about his relationship with the paedophile. 'I regret ever meeting him or being introduced to him by his partner, Ghislaine Maxwell. I regret even more the hurt he caused to many young women,' he said. He added: 'I'm not going to go into this. It's an… obsession and frankly you can all f— off. Ok?' Mr Trump is under mounting pressure to release all the documents held by the US government on Epstein. So far, his administration has refused to do so despite calls for transparency by some of the president's closest allies, splitting his support base in the process. 'A pal is a wonderful thing' For the birthday album, Mr Trump reportedly sent a letter imagining a cryptic conversation with his then-friend in which he said they had 'certain things in common' and featured a drawing of a nude woman in permanent marker. Mr Trump also reportedly wrote 'enigmas never age' and ended the message with the words: 'A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday – and may every day be another wonderful secret.' The president has denied writing or sending the letter, and is suing The Wall Street Journal for defamation over the report. However, Mr Trump's name is listed among dozens of Epstein's acquaintances who were asked to contribute birthday messages for the album, The New York Times reported. A White House spokesman described the story as 'fake news'. Mr Clinton is said to have praised Epstein's 'childlike curiosity' in a birthday message to the paedophile in 2003. A spokesman declined to comment to the newspaper. Democrats in Congress have written to the Epstein estate's executors asking for an un-redacted copy of the album. Its existence and contents have not been independently verified by The Telegraph. Brad Edwards, a lawyer for hundreds of Epstein's victims, said on Thursday: 'I know the executors of the estate are in possession of that book.'