Obama Blasts Trump for Attacking Him to Divert Away From Epstein
In a rare statement, Obama's office issued a stinging rebuke saying the claim was both ridiculous and bizarre.
'Out of respect for the office of the presidency, our office does not normally dignify the constant nonsense and misinformation flowing out of this White House with a response. But these claims are outrageous enough to merit one,' said the statement from Obama's spokesman, Patrick Rodenbush.
'The bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction. Nothing in the document issued last week undercuts the widely accepted conclusion that Russia worked to influence the 2016 presidential election but did not successfully manipulate any votes.
'These findings were affirmed in a 2020 report by the bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee, led by then-Chairman Marco Rubio.'
The claim that Obama engaged in a 'treasonous conspiracy' to rig Trump's 2016 election victory emerged over the weekend when Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard declassified emails that she said showed Obama officials had engaged in a 'years-long coup' against Trump.
According to Gabbard, officials tried to bury intelligence in the final weeks of the Obama administration and then manufacture an alternative assessment of a Russian influence campaign on American voters.
'Their goal was to usurp President Trump and subvert the will of the American people,' Gabbard wrote on social media. 'No matter how powerful, every person involved in this conspiracy must be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.'
Trump, who has claimed for years that the investigation into Russian interference was a 'hoax', embraced the findings, and even posted an AI-generated video of Obama being arrested in the Oval Office.
On Tuesday, during a bilateral meeting with Philippines President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr., he also launched a lengthy tirade pushing the claims, while taking aim at others too, including 2016 rival Hillary Clinton, former FBI Director James Comey, former CIA Director James Clapper, and former President Joe Biden.
'The witch hunt you should be talking about is they caught President Obama absolutely cold,' Trump told reporters.
'They tried to rig the election, and they got caught. And there should be very severe consequences for that.'
But Democrats agree with Obama that the issue is an attempt to distract from the political firestorm surrounding child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, which has fractured Trump's MAGA base and caused an ongoing headache for the White House.
Trump came to office promising to release the criminal files on the Epstein case, but then insisted last week that it was a Democratic hoax.
The president was forced to pivot again on Thursday night after the Wall Street Journal published a report claiming Trump gave Epstein a saucy birthday greeting in 2003, featuring a drawing of a naked woman with his name mimicking pubic hair.
Trump, who vehemently denies the note was his, is now suing the Wall Street Journal but has asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to 'produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval.'
The Department of Justice has also sought a meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's accomplice and former girlfriend, hoping she may spill further secrets.
But the president remains deeply frustrated that so much attention remains on the Epstein files.
'We had the Greatest Six Months of any President in the History of our Country, and all the Fake News wants to talk about is the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax!' he posted on Tuesday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNBC
4 minutes ago
- CNBC
President Donald Trump to join 'Squawk Box' at 8 a.m. ET
President Donald Trump will join CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Tuesday around 8 a.m. ET for a wide-ranging conversation on the economy and the state of the U.S. Trump's interview comes as the administration juggles a slew of tariff negotiations as well as new U.S. jobs data that prompted the president to dismiss the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Trump on Monday threatened even higher tariffs on Indian imports to the U.S., citing the country's purchases of Russian oil. "India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian Oil, they are then, for much of the Oil purchased, selling it on the Open Market for big profits. They don't care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine. Because of this, I will be substantially raising the Tariff paid by India to the USA," Trump said in a Truth Social post. India responded by saying it's being "targeted" by the U.S. and European Union over those crude imports, with the country's foreign ministry saying: "it is revealing that the very nations criticizing India are themselves indulging in trade with Russia. Unlike our case, such trade is not even a vital national compulsion [for them]." Trump's comments also come after a July jobs report that not only missed expectations, but also included heavy downward revisions to June and May figures. The data led Trump to fire Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Erika McEntarfer just hours after the Friday release. "We need accurate Jobs Numbers. I have directed my Team to fire this Biden Political Appointee, IMMEDIATELY. She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified," Trump said in a separate post.
Newsweek
4 minutes ago
- Newsweek
U.S. Ally Becomes Arms Sales Battleground Between China and America
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. U.S. military ties with long-time allies in the Middle East are being tested by China's growing defense diplomacy across the region. Just as Washington authorized the sale of a major arms package to Egypt in July, China also emerged as an alternative source of advanced military hardware to the North African nation that has been a major non-NATO ally to the United States since 1989. Newsweek has reached out to the U.S. State Department and the Egyptian army for comment. Why It Matters Egypt is becoming a visible setting for the intensifying U.S.–China rivalry, where Washington views Beijing as its principal global rival. Cairo, long dependent on roughly $1.3 billion in annual U.S. military aid, remains an important security partner to Washington despite political difference over Gaza and Egypt's increasing engagement with China. Gulf and Arab states now see partnerships with China not as a shift, but as their right to diversify critical industries beyond an exclusive reliance on the United States, happening alongside major business deals with President Donald Trump. A NASAMS surface-to-air missile launcher is seen during production at the assembly line of the Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace weapons factory in Kongsberg, Norway on January 30, 2023. A NASAMS surface-to-air missile launcher is seen during production at the assembly line of the Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace weapons factory in Kongsberg, Norway on January 30, 2023. PETTER BERNTSEN/AFP/Getty Images What To Know Egypt has been given the green light by the United States to purchase advanced weaponry that previously had been off the table to maintain Israel's military edge in the region, in a sign that Washington may be shifting its stance toward its Middle East allies. The U.S. State Department recently approved the sale of NASAMS air defense systems to Egypt in a package worth $4.67 billion. The deal includes 200 AMRAAM and 600 Sidewinder missiles as well as radars, launchers, command units and training. "The potential delivery of NASAMS already represents a major breakthrough in the provision of advanced U.S.-made weapons to Egypt, with the offer of one of the most capable air defense systems in its class," U.S. defense watcher Thomas Newdick wrote in July in the specialist military outlet The War Zone. Since taking power in a 2014 after a military coup, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt has pursued arms diversification amid rising tension with the United States. He has pushed back against U.S. restrictions on upgrading Egyptian air force F-16 jets and voiced public frustration over Washington's stance on Israel's war in Gaza and on Trump's "displacement" plan. Cairo has shown a public interest in Chinese fighter jets like the J-10 and the newer J-35 in what could become realistic alternatives to U.S. air platforms. Egypt and China deepened military ties in 2025 with joint drills and expanded defense cooperation. Last month, amid reports that America's main regional adversary Iran could also seek Chinese jet fighters, Beijing said it was ready to "share the achievements of its equipment development with friendly countries." What People Are Saying Sayed Ghoneim, a retired Egyptian army officer, told Newsweek: "Let's keep in mind American companies' insistence on not losing a buyer—especially when China stands arms wide open, trying to project that it enjoys closer ties with Egypt than the U.S. does." Hesham Elhalaby, a retired major general of the Egyptian air force, told Al-Mashhad in July: "The military message here is that Egypt still holds significant importance for the United States, and military cooperation continues despite some political differences. There is consensus in the U.S. administration on maintaining cooperation and modernizing Egypt's defense systems." The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency in a July notice about the NASAMS deal: "The proposed sale will improve Egypt's capability to meet current and future threats by improving its ability to detect various air threats. […] The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region." What Happens Next Egypt and China may soon unveil more details about planned defense cooperation agreements, following the recent two-day official visit of Chinese Premier Li Qiang to Cairo in July.
Fox News
4 minutes ago
- Fox News
Elizabeth Warren just 'admitted' the Democratic Party's future is 'socialism,' GOP chair says
Massachusetts Republican Party Chair Amy Carnevale reacts to Sen. Elizabeth Warren gushing over NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani's policies.
