Former President Barack Obama has become the target of death threats and calls for imprisonment following accusations of treason made by President Donald Trump and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
Their claims allege that Obama and his administration manipulated intelligence about Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Surge in Online Threats
According to the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism (GPAHE), threatening and violent online comments spiked between July 17 and July 20 across Truth Social, Gab, and Telegram. On Truth Social alone, such posts jumped from 3 to 36—an 1,100 percent increase.
Controversial Report Sparks Backlash
The uproar began after Gabbard released a report accusing Obama’s administration of engineering intelligence to support what she described as a “yearslong coup” against Trump. She pledged to refer the matter to the Justice Department for prosecution.
Trump followed up by sharing an AI-generated video on Truth Social showing Obama being arrested, which further inflamed online rhetoric.
Condemnation and Denials
White House and DNI spokespeople publicly condemned all forms of violence, while emphasizing the need for accountability. However, GPAHE warned that such rhetoric from high-ranking officials not only incites extremists but also dangerously normalizes conspiracy-driven language in public discourse.
Obama’s Office Responds
On Tuesday, Trump called Obama “the leader of the gang” behind efforts to undermine his presidency, labeling the acts as treason. Later, Obama’s office released a rare statement, calling the allegations “bizarre,” “outrageous,” and “a weak attempt at distraction.”
Spokesperson Patrick Rodenbush added that nothing in Gabbard’s report undermined the bipartisan findings that Russia tried to influence the 2016 election, although no votes were altered.
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