Tulsi Gabbard Calls for Treason Charges Against Obama-Era Officials Over 2016 Election Intelligence

Former intelligence heads accused of hiding key information about Russian interference

Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence under the Trump administration, is calling for criminal charges against several high-ranking officials from the Obama era. Gabbard claims these officials were involved in a “treasonous conspiracy” to hide or manipulate intelligence about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

This latest move adds fuel to the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to reexamine—and in some cases, challenge—the official narrative surrounding the 2016 and 2020 elections. It also continues the pattern of going after former intelligence leaders who previously criticized Trump.

Gabbard Demands DOJ Action Over Withheld Intel

In a statement released Friday afternoon, Gabbard said she has declassified a report that reveals former officials “manipulated and withheld” important information from the public related to Russia’s role in the 2016 election. She plans to turn over all related documents to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to support prosecutions.

“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,” she said.

The DOJ has not responded publicly to her statement.

Who Gabbard Is Accusing

According to the memo released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the officials named include:

• James Clapper (former Director of National Intelligence)
• John Brennan (former CIA Director)
• James Comey (former FBI Director)

These individuals were all central figures in the U.S. government’s response to the 2016 election and the investigations into Russian meddling.

So far, Clapper and Brennan have not responded to media requests for comment. Comey has declined to comment.

A Pattern of Political Retaliation?

Gabbard’s accusations come amid a broader effort by Trump’s team to revisit and reframe the narrative around both the 2016 and 2020 elections.

Trump has often accused former officials of launching a politically motivated investigation into his campaign, calling it a “witch hunt.” In the past, he’s revoked security clearances of several Obama- and Biden-era officials and even pushed for criminal investigations.

For example, in April, Trump ordered an investigation into Christopher Krebs, his former cybersecurity chief, who publicly rejected Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was rigged.

Disputes Over Election Interference

Gabbard’s report argues that foreign adversaries did not use cyberattacks to change the outcome of the 2016 election. Her statement appears to be aimed at discrediting earlier investigations and warnings about Russian interference.

However, this contrasts with findings from the time. Shortly after the 2016 election, Obama administration officials said there was no credible evidence of vote tampering. Still, concerns about foreign influence led to recounts in several swing states.

At the time, Marc Elias, a prominent Democratic attorney who represented Hillary Clinton’s campaign, said, “The campaign had not uncovered any actionable evidence of hacking or outside attempts to alter the voting technology.”

Democrats Push Back

Some lawmakers are calling Gabbard’s claims politically motivated. Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.) said the accusations are part of a strategy to distract from more pressing issues.

“Baseless accusations of treason are unfortunately par for the course for this Director of National Intelligence,” Himes said. “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.”

Himes also pointed to a lengthy investigation by the Republican-led Senate Intelligence Committee, which concluded that Russia did launch a wide-ranging effort to interfere in the 2016 election.

What Did the Senate Investigation Say?

That three-year investigation, led by Republicans but supported by Democrats, found that Russia tried to help Trump win. It described the Trump campaign’s contacts with Russian officials as a “grave” counterintelligence concern.

However, the report stopped short of concluding that the Trump team knowingly colluded with Russia.

Marco Rubio, then acting chair of the committee and now Trump’s Secretary of State, supported the findings when they were released. The report remains one of the most detailed public accounts of election interference from a U.S. government body.

CIA’s Own Review Raised Questions—But Didn’t Change the Findings

In a more recent internal review ordered by then-CIA Director John Ratcliffe, the agency criticized how intelligence officials reached their conclusions about Russia’s motives. Still, the review did not dispute the overall findings that Russia tried to interfere in the 2016 election to benefit Trump.

What Comes Next?

It’s unclear whether the DOJ will act on Gabbard’s request or whether her claims will gain traction beyond Trump’s base. The latest push could further deepen the partisan divide over how the 2016 election is remembered—and how intelligence is used and interpreted in the future.

While the Biden administration has largely moved on from Trump-era controversies, Gabbard’s latest move signals that some in the current government still want to revisit and possibly rewrite that history.