Obama officials may face charges over Russia probe: Gabbard
3 Min Read
US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard has accused Obama-era officials of fabricating evidence to support the 2016 Russia interference narrative, a claim that reignites partisan tensions and challenges the legitimacy of prior investigations.
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Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, flanked by FBI Director Kash Patel, left, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, testifies as the House Intelligence Committee holds a hearing on worldwide threats, at the Capitol, in Washington, Wednesday, March 26, 2025 (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced on Sunday that the federal government now possesses evidence that could support criminal charges against key figures from former President Barack Obama's administration.
According to Gabbard, the alleged wrongdoing centers on the deliberate manufacture of false evidence used to construct the now-infamous narrative that Russia interfered in the 2016 US presidential election to benefit Donald Trump.
In an appearance on Fox News, Gabbard stated, "We have the evidence to be able to move forward and bring about justice, to prosecute and indict those responsible." She further revealed that more documentation would be released in the coming week, shedding light on what she described as a coordinated effort to mislead the public and federal institutions.
"More evidence will be released next week to shed light on the Obama administration's purported collusion to inflate the claims about alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election," she said.
These assertions stand in sharp contrast to the findings of the 2019 Mueller Report, which confirmed extensive Russian operations, including social media manipulation and cyberattacks on Democratic Party servers, yet found no prosecutable evidence that Trump or his associates conspired with Moscow.
While Special Counsel Robert Mueller stopped short of declaring Trump innocent of obstruction of justice, his report concluded that DOJ policy prevented charging a sitting president.
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Intelligence reckoning
Gabbard’s claims have been denounced by Democratic lawmakers. Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chair Mark Warner called the allegations "politically motivated and factually baseless," noting that the committee’s own bipartisan investigation had confirmed the extent of Russian interference.
Other critics argue Gabbard is attempting to rewrite the historical record to discredit the original investigation and vindicate Trump.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin has distanced itself from the entire discourse. President Vladimir Putin, speaking at the 2024 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, stated, "Basically, we don't care … We will work with any president the American people elect," dismissing the notion that a Republican or Democrat victory would significantly alter US–Russia relations.
Kremlin spokespeople have reiterated that Russia sees no benefit in interfering with US elections and has no preference for either party.
Read more: Kremlin says Trump's foreign policy less predictable than Biden's
As new disclosures loom, the political stakes are rising. Should Gabbard's evidence prove credible, it could force a national reckoning over the politicization of intelligence
