Latest news with #SteeleDossier
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Obama, Russia, and a coup? DNI Tulsi Gabbard claims plot to derail Donald Trump's 2016 win
Tulsi Gabbard , the current US Director of National Intelligence , has ignited a political firestorm by accusing former President Barack Obama and senior members of his administration of orchestrating a "treasonous conspiracy" during the 2016 election aftermath. Speaking on Friday, Gabbard said her office had uncovered "overwhelming evidence" that high-ranking officials manipulated intelligence to justify the Trump–Russia investigation. These claims were laid out in newly declassified documents, which she says will be handed to the Department of Justice for criminal referral. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category Cybersecurity Technology Artificial Intelligence Data Science CXO MCA Healthcare Degree others Design Thinking Product Management PGDM Management Others healthcare Digital Marketing Leadership Data Analytics Project Management Public Policy Finance Data Science Operations Management MBA Skills you'll gain: Duration: 10 Months MIT xPRO CERT-MIT xPRO PGC in Cybersecurity Starts on undefined Get Details 'No matter how powerful, every person involved in this conspiracy must be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, to ensure nothing like this ever happens again,' Gabbard said in an official statement. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 20 Most Expensive Cars In The World Undo A high-level meeting and a shift in narrative According to the documents released by Gabbard, the turning point came during a National Security Council meeting at the White House on 9 December 2016. Present at that meeting were former CIA Director John Brennan, DNI James Clapper, National Security Adviser Susan Rice, Secretary of State John Kerry, Attorney General Loretta Lynch, and FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe. She contends that the meeting led to a new intelligence directive—ordered by Obama—to reassess Russia's role in the 2016 election. Following the meeting, Clapper's assistant reportedly instructed the CIA, FBI, NSA and DHS to prepare a revised Intelligence Community (IC) assessment "per the President's request". Live Events This assessment, released on 6 January 2017, suggested Russia interfered in the election to aid Donald Trump. But Gabbard says earlier internal findings did not support that conclusion. 'Foreign adversaries did not use cyberattacks on election infrastructure to alter the US Presidential election outcome,' reads a 7 December 2016 internal memo cited in the report. She claims the revised report ignored previous intelligence and relied instead on 'manufactured' sources, including the now-discredited Steele Dossier. '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,' Gabbard said on social media. False leaks and media influence Gabbard further alleged that Obama-era officials leaked misleading claims to major news outlets to shape public opinion. She cited examples where statements were fed to publications such as The Washington Post, claiming Russia had attempted to interfere with or even influence the election outcome. 'Russia has attempted through cyber means to interfere in, if not actively influence, the outcome of an election,' she said, quoting one such claim. Trump applauds, Democrats push back Donald Trump quickly responded to Gabbard's claims, voicing his support through a post on Truth Social. "Great job by young and talented Harrison Fields on FoxNews. The Panel was fantastic on prosecuting Obama and the 'thugs' who have just been unequivocally exposed on highest level Election Fraud. Congratulations to Tulsi Gabbard. Keep it coming!!!" Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers issued swift and sharp rebuttals. Senator Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said, 'The Senate Intelligence Committee conducted a bipartisan investigation reviewing hundreds of thousands of documents and interviewing witnesses over several years. The unanimous, bipartisan conclusion was that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to benefit Donald Trump. This is just another example of the DNI trying to cook the books, rewrite history, and erode trust in the intelligence agencies she's supposed to be leading.' Representative Jim Himes of Connecticut also weighed in, 'Baseless accusations of treason are unfortunately par for the course for this Director of National Intelligence, but that doesn't make them any less damaging and unacceptable. The IC leaders in 2016 understood that they took an oath to the Constitution, not President Trump. I wish Director Gabbard could say the same.' Layers of investigation and conflicting reports Gabbard's claims arrive years after a slew of investigations into the Trump–Russia saga. The Senate Intelligence Committee, led by Republicans during Trump's presidency, conducted a three-year investigation concluding that Russia did mount an aggressive effort to sway the 2016 election. It found numerous contacts between Trump campaign aides and Russian officials but stopped short of confirming coordination. Former CIA Director John Ratcliffe also ordered a separate review. While that review criticised how the 2016 IC assessment was put together, it did not overturn its conclusions. Additionally, the Department of Justice's internal watchdog and Special Counsel John Durham investigated the origins of the FBI's Russia probe. Durham's inquiry led to three indictments, including one FBI lawyer who admitted to falsifying details in a surveillance warrant. But overall, the probe found no systemic wrongdoing. A deepening divide Gabbard insists this issue cuts across party lines. 'The issue I am raising is not a partisan issue. It is one that concerns every American,' she said. 'The American people's faith and trust in our democratic republic and therefore the future of our nation depends on it.' The Justice Department has not yet confirmed whether it will pursue the referrals. Clapper and Brennan did not respond to comment requests. James Comey declined to comment. With both political camps entrenched, the release of these documents may reopen old wounds—but whether it leads to prosecutions remains uncertain.
NDTV
3 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
'Scam Should End Now': Trump Demands Release Of Epstein Grand Jury Records
Washington: US President Donald Trump on Friday called for the release of grand jury transcripts related to Jeffrey Epstein's case, callling it a 'scam' allegedly perpetuated by the Democrats. Taking to his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said, "Based on the ridiculous amount of publicity given to Jeffrey Epstein, I have asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval. This SCAM, perpetuated by the Democrats, should end right now." The remarks came after a collection of letters gifted to Jeffrey Epstein for his 50th birthday in 2003 included a note bearing Donald Trump's name and an outline of a naked woman, according to a Wall Street Journal report published on Thursday (local time), as per CNN. The report, which cites documents reviewed by the newspaper, comes amid continued public interest in Epstein's past connections with powerful individuals. Epstein died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on charges of child sex trafficking. Trump has denied writing the letter and accused the media of running a coordinated smear campaign, according to CNN. Trump also threatened to sue The Wall Street Journal, News Corp., and Rupert Murdoch for the Jeffrey Epstein story they published on the Epstein files. "The Wall Street Journal, and Rupert Murdoch, personally, were warned directly by President Donald J. Trump that the supposed letter they printed by President Trump to Epstein was a FAKE and, if they print it, they will be sued. Mr. Murdoch stated that he would take care of it but, obviously, did not have the power to do so. The Editor of The Wall Street Journal, Emma Tucker, was told directly by Karoline Leavitt, and by President Trump, that the letter was a FAKE, but Emma Tucker didn't want to hear that. Instead, they are going with a false, malicious, and defamatory story anyway. President Trump will be suing The Wall Street Journal, NewsCorp, and Mr. Murdoch, shortly. The Press has to learn to be truthful, and not rely on sources that probably don't even exist," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also issued a strong statement on X (formerly Twitter), accusing the Journal of publishing unverified claims. "The Wall Street Journal published a hatchet job article with a FAKE 'birthday letter' that is supposedly from 2003," she wrote. The Wall Street Journal published a hatchet job article with a FAKE 'birthday letter' that is supposedly from 2003. This is like the Steele Dossier that kickstarted 'the Russia, Russia, Russia' Hoax all over again. The WSJ refused to show us the letter and conceded they don't… — Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) July 18, 2025 "This is like the Steele Dossier that kickstarted 'the Russia, Russia, Russia' Hoax all over again. The WSJ refused to show us the letter and conceded they don't even have it in their possession when we asked them to verify the alleged document they're basing their ENTIRE fake story on," she said. She added, "As I said at the podium today, there is a coordinated Hoax by the Democrats and Fake News to smear President Trump, as we've seen throughout both of his terms." (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump dodges question on if he's in Epstein files and claims Obama and James Comey made them up
President Donald Trump has claimed that former President Barack Obama and former FBI Director James Comey 'made up' the Epstein files. As he left for an event in Pennsylvania from the White House Tuesday, the President was asked by a reporter if Attorney General Pam Bondi had revealed whether his name appeared in any of the Justice Department's files on the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Last week, the DOJ and FBI released a joint memo confirming that Epstein died by suicide in August 2019 and did not have a 'client list' of rich and powerful people. The memo concluded that no further investigation was needed, pouring cold water on years of speculation surrounding the disgraced financier. Tech billionaire, and former Trump ally, Elon Musk has claimed without evidence that the President's name appears in the files during a public falling-out with him last month. Trump, who had socialized with Epstein before he entered politics, did not answer directly Tuesday. 'She's given us just a very quick briefing, and in terms of the credibility of the different things that they've seen,' Trump said. 'And I would say that, you know, these files were made up by Comey. They were made up by Obama.' President Donald Trump told reporters he believes former President Barack Obama and ex-FBI Director James Comey 'made up' the Epstein files (REUTERS) Obama, a Democrat, served in the White House from 2009 to 2017, while Comey led the FBI from 2013 until May 2017, at which point Trump fired him. Trump made a similar claim in a Truth Social post Saturday, claiming the files were 'written' by Obama, Comey and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, among others. 'They created the Epstein Files, just like they created the FAKE Hillary Clinton/Christopher Steele Dossier that they used on me, and now my so-called 'friends' are playing right into their hands,' Trump wrote. 'Why didn't these Radical Left Lunatics release the Epstein Files? If there was ANYTHING in there that could have hurt the MAGA Movement, why didn't they use it?' The 'Epstein files' refers to a collection of redacted documents believed to contain the names of the convicted pedophile's alleged associates. Bondi previously insinuated to Fox News she had the 'client list'on her desk in February. Trump also praised Bondi's work on the memo while speaking to reporters Tuesday, as she faces backlash from members of the far-right who say she hasn't released enough information and should step down. President Donald Trump praised Attorney General Pam Bondi's handling on the Epstein files (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) 'I think the Attorney General has handled it very well on the DOJ and FBI review, the findings of that review,' Trump said. Tensions are rising in the White House as FBI leaders, Kash Patel and Dan Bongino, are reportedly frustrated with the memo and Bondi's handling of the Epstein case. Deputy Director Bongino's relationship with the White House is currently untenable, CNN has reported. White House officials reportedly confronted Bongino and Patel over a story leaked to NewsNation that claimed the Justice Department had stopped the FBI from unsealing further evidence related to Epstein. Patel and Bongino denied that they were behind the leak. However, Bongino was so frustrated he offered an ultimatum to the president: either fire Bondi or he would resign. Bongino reportedly did not show up to work Friday as a result of the incident, sources told CNN Monday. FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino may be poised to leave his post after a falling out with Attorney General Pam Bondi (Getty Images) The situation 'infuriated' the president, who spent the weekend angry with Bongino, CNN reported. After reports of the spat, Trump publicly backed Bondi, and Patel announced he would not step down as FBI director. By Sunday, the president's anger appeared to have dissipated as he told reporters that he had spoken with Bongino, who remains his deputy FBI director. According to CNN, Bongino was back in his office Monday. Patel and Bongino, both right-wing media personalities before they took up posts at the FBI, were among the biggest proponents of Epstein conspiracy theories in MAGA world. Now, MAGA activists are outraged over the recent memo. The White House maintains that Bongino, Bondi and others are working 'in lockstep and with unprecedented success.' 'Attorney General Bondi, Director Patel, Deputy Director Bongino, and the countless other heroes of our law enforcement community are dedicated to executing President Trump's agenda of protecting civil rights, safeguarding communities, holding criminals accountable, and defending victims,' spokesperson Harrison Fields told The Independent Monday. Democrats have also entered the fray with Maryland Representative Jamie Raskin saying he will urge House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan to subpoena Bondi, Patel and Bongino over the handling of the files. '[M]any of these people have gestured at the existence of a client list, so this is a vast public perception now without regard to ideological lines,' Raskin said. If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988 or visit to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to to find a helpline near you. In the UK, people having mental health crises can contact the Samaritans at 116 123 or jo@
The Irish Sun
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
Furious Trump lays into ‘bulls**t' Epstein murder ‘HOAX'… but admits MAGA fans are falling for it ‘hook line and sinker'
A FURIOUS Donald Trump has lashed out at the "bulls**t Epstein murder hoax" - and is even more enraged by his own supporters falling for it. The President hit out at "radical left democrats", who he claims pedal the conspiracy theory, after Ghislaine Maxwell's family said they would 1 Trump has lashed out at the Epstein murder theory Credit: The Mega Agency In a scathing ramble on Truth Social, Trump said: "In a scathing ramble on Truth Social, he said: "The Radical Left Democrats have hit pay dirt, again!" He blamed the Democrats, and specifically Hunter Biden, for a range of conspiracy theories - including the Steele Dossier and the "Laptop from Hell". And said his past MAGA supporters "bought into this 'bullshit,' hook, line, and sinker". Venting his frustration that the Epstein files continue to attract attention, he thundered: "All these people want to talk about, with strong prodding by the Fake News and the success stared Dems, is the Jeffery Epstein Hoax." The US Department of Justice (DoJ) and His MAGA camp has been The DoJ last week announced that Epstein died by suicide - although conspiracy theories are to the contrary. They added that there was no 'incriminating client list' to be revealed to the public - and no further revelations would be made regarding the case. Most read in The US Sun US Attorney General Pam Bondi had suggested in February that Epstein's supposed client list was sitting on her desk waiting for review. Though last week she appeared to suggest she'd been referring generally to the Epstein case file, not a client list. Bondi said: "I did an interview on Fox, and it's been getting a lot of attention because I said I was asked a question about the client list, and my response was, it's sitting on my desk to be reviewed. "Meaning the file, along with the JFK, MLK files as well. That's what I meant by that." Meanwhile, Trump insisted the More to follow... For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos . Like us on Facebook at
Scottish Sun
5 days ago
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Furious Trump lays into ‘bulls**t' Epstein murder ‘HOAX'… but admits MAGA fans are falling for it ‘hook line and sinker'
Trump's furious rant took aim at everyone from Democrats and the media to Hunter Biden EPSTEIN 'BS' Furious Trump lays into 'bulls**t' Epstein murder 'HOAX'… but admits MAGA fans are falling for it 'hook line and sinker' Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A FURIOUS Donald Trump has lashed out at the "bulls**t Epstein murder hoax" - and is even more enraged by his own supporters falling for it. The President hit out at "radical left democrats", who he claims pedal the conspiracy theory, after Ghislaine Maxwell's family said they would try a new strategy to free her from jail. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Trump has lashed out at the Epstein murder theory Credit: The Mega Agency In a scathing ramble on Truth Social, Trump said: "In a scathing ramble on Truth Social, he said: "The Radical Left Democrats have hit pay dirt, again!" He blamed the Democrats, and specifically Hunter Biden, for a range of conspiracy theories - including the Steele Dossier and the "Laptop from Hell". And said his past MAGA supporters "bought into this 'bullshit,' hook, line, and sinker". Venting his frustration that the Epstein files continue to attract attention, he thundered: "All these people want to talk about, with strong prodding by the Fake News and the success stared Dems, is the Jeffery Epstein Hoax." The US Department of Justice (DoJ) and FBI's decision to close the Epstein inquiry has sparked fury among Trump's base. His MAGA camp has been left divided over a lack of clarity regarding the release of the hyped files in Epstein's sex trafficking investigation. The DoJ last week announced that Epstein died by suicide - although conspiracy theories are to the contrary. They added that there was no 'incriminating client list' to be revealed to the public - and no further revelations would be made regarding the case. US Attorney General Pam Bondi had suggested in February that Epstein's supposed client list was sitting on her desk waiting for review. Though last week she appeared to suggest she'd been referring generally to the Epstein case file, not a client list. Bondi said: "I did an interview on Fox, and it's been getting a lot of attention because I said I was asked a question about the client list, and my response was, it's sitting on my desk to be reviewed. "Meaning the file, along with the JFK, MLK files as well. That's what I meant by that." Meanwhile, Trump insisted the much-hyped documents are "pretty boring" amid a slew of conspiracies surrounding the death of Epstein - and his so-called client list. More to follow... For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos. Like us on Facebook at TheSunUS and follow us on X at @TheUSSun
