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Economic Times
4 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Trump has his biggest target in crosshairs. What can happen
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads The political temperature in Washington has surged again, this time over a storm of accusations from President Donald Trump , targeting former President Barack Obama . During a press appearance alongside Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Trump accused Obama of orchestrating a 'coup' in 2016 by politicising intelligence regarding Russian election interference . The spark for this latest escalation: a set of newly declassified documents released by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard last week, which Trump claims are proof of treason. He is now demanding that the Department of Justice (DOJ) open a criminal unprecedented moment raises a pressing question: can a former US president actually face prosecution for actions taken while in office? And what are the legal and political implications of such a move?At the heart of the controversy are intelligence documents recently declassified by Tulsi Gabbard, who now heads the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). Gabbard's disclosures allege that Obama-era officials -- specifically James Clapper, John Brennan, James Comey, Susan Rice, and Andrew McCabe --deliberately distorted or suppressed intelligence to frame a narrative of Russian election interference that would damage argued that this manipulation of intelligence was not only unethical but possibly criminal, referring to it as a 'treasonous conspiracy". According to her statements, certain intelligence reports that cleared the Trump campaign of collusion were deliberately downplayed or ignored, while narratives emphasising Russian interference were selectively elevated. Importantly, the materials do not show that votes were altered or that Obama directly interfered in vote counts. Rather, they appear to suggest a pattern of politically motivated intelligence shaping which is serious, but far from the clear-cut criminal behaviour that would normally prompt a DOJ on the released documents, Trump quickly amplified the narrative. He accused Obama of treason and insisted that the DOJ open an investigation. Trump even went so far as to post an AI-generated video showing the FBI arresting Obama in the Oval Office, a move that was widely condemned as inflammatory and reckless. While Obama's office rarely responds to Trump's ongoing attacks, the former president issued a statement calling the accusations 'bizarre,' 'ridiculous,' and 'a weak attempt at distraction". The statement emphasised the unprecedented nature of the accusation and suggested it was designed to distract from Trump's own mounting legal and political Trump's message resonated with his base. Conservative media and MAGA-aligned lawmakers echoed his call for accountability, with several suggesting that the disclosures represent the biggest scandal in American the political firestorm, the likelihood that Obama will face criminal prosecution remains extremely slim. The evidence currently available may not establish that Obama committed a prosecutable offence. The documents suggest internal disagreements and potentially politicised decision-making, but not necessarily criminal behaviour. Under US law, proving treason or criminal conspiracy requires evidence of intent, coordination and direct action to break the there is the matter of precedent and prosecutorial norms. No former US president has ever been prosecuted for actions taken while in office unless there was incontrovertible proof of criminal conduct. Even in high-profile cases like Watergate, those involved were either pardoned or avoided criminal charges through plea deals and immunity arrangements. While it is possible that the DOJ may quietly review the Gabbard disclosures, the standard for launching a formal criminal case against a former president is extraordinarily high. Without compelling evidence, it's unlikely that Attorney General Merrick Garland would take the risk of igniting a constitutional has promised more disclosures in the coming weeks. If new documents emerge that contain stronger evidence of deliberate falsification or political manipulation, especially if Obama is directly implicated, then the DOJ could face renewed pressure to the allegations have already become a powerful tool for Trump and his allies, who are using the narrative to galvanise support and frame the 2016 Russia investigation as a calculated attack. For Democrats, however, the accusations are viewed largely as a diversion tactic, aimed at deflecting attention from Trump's own troubles. Within the intelligence community, Gabbard's unilateral declassification has raised alarm, with critics arguing that it undermines institutional credibility and could damage relationships with allied intelligence services. These concerns have been echoed by figures such as Senator Mark Warner, who warned that such politicisation erodes the foundational trust that intelligence-sharing depends the legal pathway seems narrow, the political implications are far-reaching. Trump and his allies have seized on the moment to reframe the Russia investigation as a political weapon wielded by Obama to undermine the peaceful transfer of power. In their view, the disclosures prove that the 2016 Russia investigation was a 'hoax' built on fabricated intelligence and partisan motives. This can help Trump regain support of many of those among MAGA who have been disppointed by the Trump adminsitration's handling of Epstein role in all of this cannot be overstated. Once a Democratic congresswoman known for her anti-establishment stance, she has become a central figure in reshaping how intelligence is handled in the executive branch. Critics say she is politicising national security, while supporters argue she is exposing long-standing corruption.
Hindustan Times
16 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Rwandan rebels' fate clouds Trump's vision for mineral-rich Congo
* Rwandan rebels' fate clouds Trump's vision for mineral-rich Congo Hutu rebels' future complicates US-brokered peace in Congo * Rwanda cites group as major threat, analysts downplay risk * Rebel leader appeals to Trump to avoid offensive * Trump eyes major minerals investments in war-hit region By Sonia Rolley July 23 - Moves to end fighting in eastern Congo that are essential to U.S. President Donald Trump's plans for a mining bonanza in the region are meant to get underway by Sunday, but the future of a small rebel group has emerged as one of the major obstacles. A U.S.-brokered peace agreement signed last month by the Congolese and Rwandan foreign ministers was designed to halt violence that escalated this year with a lightning advance in the Democratic Republic of Congo by M23 rebels. Rwanda denies allegations from the U.N. and Western governments that it is fighting alongside the M23 rebels to gain access to Congo's minerals. Rwanda says its troops are there to tackle what it describes as an existential threat from thousands of Rwandan Hutu rebels known as the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda . Security experts and diplomats say the FDLR, which includes remnants of Rwanda's former army and militias that carried out the 1994 Rwandan genocide, boasts only a few hundred combatants and is not a significant battlefield force. But the peace agreement explicitly requires Congo to "neutralise" the FDLR as Rwanda withdraws from Congolese territory, underscoring the group's importance to the fate of Trump's diplomacy. Both the Congolese operations against the FDLR and the Rwandan withdrawal are supposed to start by Sunday and conclude by the end of September. U.N. experts said in a report this month that Rwanda, along with M23, is trying to seize control of mineral-rich territory. Kigali responded that the presence of the "genocidal" FDLR "necessitates the defence posture in our border areas". The U.N. experts also accused the Congolese military of relying on the FDLR in its fight against M23. A spokesperson for Congo's government did not respond to a request for comment on that question, but Kinshasa has said it is on board with ensuring any threat posed by the FDLR is "definitively eradicated", including by voluntary disarmament. It has also accused Rwanda of using the FDLR as a pretext for deploying on Congolese territory. Congolese researcher Josaphat Musamba said it was not possible for Congo to rid the region of FDLR fighters given that M23 holds much of the territory where the FDLR now operates. "It would be feasible if the Rwandan-backed rebellion were not active and threatening to conquer other territories," said Musamba, a Ph.D. candidate at Ghent University who is from eastern Congo and studies the conflict there. Jason Stearns, a political scientist at Simon Fraser University in Canada who specialises in Africa's Great Lakes region, said lack of progress against the FDLR could be cited by Rwanda as a reason to keep its troops deployed in eastern Congo past September, throwing off Washington's timeline. "It would be fairly easy for Rwanda to claim that Congo is not abiding by its side of the deal - that its operations against the FDLR are not serious enough, have not been successful enough - and therefore to drag its feet," Stearns said. A spokesperson for Rwanda's government did not respond to a request for comment on its approach to the FDLR. Rwandan President Paul Kagame said on July 4 that Rwanda was committed to implementing the deal, but that it could fail if Congo did not live up to its promises to neutralise the FDLR. PEAL TO TRUMP Trump said on July 9 the Congolese and Rwandan presidents would travel to the United States in the "next couple of weeks" to sign the peace agreement. They are also expected to sign bilateral economic packages that would bring billions of dollars of investment into countries rich in tantalum, gold, cobalt, copper, lithium and other minerals. There has been no further word on a date. While Washington has hosted negotiations between Congo and Rwanda, Qatar has hosted separate direct talks between Congo and M23. On Saturday the two sides agreed to sign a separate peace deal by August 18. M23 currently has no concrete plans to withdraw from the territory it controls. The FDLR has urged Trump not to green-light a Congolese offensive against it. A July 2 letter to Trump from Victor Byiringiro, the FDLR's acting president, said attacking the FDLR would jeopardise the safety of Congolese civilians as well as more than 200,000 Rwandan refugees. In written responses to questions from Reuters, FDLR spokesperson Cure Ngoma said only "a frank, sincere, and inclusive dialogue among Rwandans" could bring peace, though Rwanda has repeatedly ruled out such talks with the group. Trump expects Congo and Rwanda to abide by the peace deal "which will foster lasting stability and prosperity in the region," Anna Kelly, a White House spokesperson, said in response to Reuters questions about the FDLR's future. "All armed groups must lay down their arms and work within the framework of the peace process." The fighting has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands more this year, while escalating the risk of a return to the kind of full-scale regional war which led to the deaths of millions of Congolese in 1998-2003. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Time of India
18 minutes ago
- Time of India
Trump calls Tulsi Gabbard 'hottest in the room', backs her explosive Obama-rigging claims
At a recent White House event, US President Donald Trump stirred fresh controversy by praising Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard as 'the hottest one in the room' and endorsing her newly released report that alleges former President Barack Obama orchestrated a plot to rig the 2016 election. 'Oh, where's Tulsi? She's, like, hotter than everybody,' Trump said while gesturing toward Gabbard. 'She has all the documents. She found out that Barack Hussein Obama led a group of people and they cheated in the elections.' He added, 'They cheated without question. It's not even a quote.' Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Technology MCA PGDM Public Policy Leadership Data Science healthcare Data Science Management Finance MBA Healthcare CXO Operations Management others Project Management Digital Marketing Data Analytics Product Management Cybersecurity Degree Others Artificial Intelligence Design Thinking Skills you'll gain: Duration: 12 Weeks MIT xPRO CERT-MIT XPRO Building AI Prod India Starts on undefined Get Details 'She told me, 'You've seen nothing yet,'' Trump continued. 'We're very proud of you, Tulsi. They cheated so badly… and it shouldn't have been a loss. It was a big victory.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Join new Free to Play WWII MMO War Thunder War Thunder Play Now Gabbard's report, recently made public, claims to present Obama-era communications that allegedly reveal attempts to manipulate the outcome of the 2016 election. While her findings reportedly show no tampering with vote totals—something previously acknowledged by multiple agencies—the report suggests this absence weakens the broader narrative of Russian interference, which has been upheld by several bipartisan investigations. Reviving old claims, Trump once again accused familiar adversaries—Obama, Hillary Clinton , former FBI Director James Comey, and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper—of conspiring against him. 'Obama was the ringleader,' Trump declared, describing the alleged plot as an attempted coup. Live Events Obama's camp issued a rare public response, dismissing the claims. 'These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction,' said spokesperson Patrick Rodenbush. Gabbard's release is the latest in a string of efforts by Trump allies to discredit past investigations, including the 2017 intelligence community assessment and Robert Mueller's special counsel report. While Mueller documented extensive contact between Trump's campaign and Russian actors, he stopped short of concluding a criminal conspiracy. The timing of Gabbard's report has also drawn scrutiny, coinciding with renewed public focus on the Jeffrey Epstein case . Though Trump dismissed that scandal as a 'witch hunt,' questions about his past links to Epstein continue to fuel demands for transparency—even among his own supporters.
