Trump attacks Obama as Epstein furor mounts

What happened

Former President Barack Obama's office issued a rare rebuke to President Donald Trump Tuesday, refuting the latter's claim that Obama tried to "lead a coup" after the 2016 election. Trump's accusation follows papers released by National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard alleging Obama officials "manipulated and politicized intelligence" to bolster Russian election interference narratives and undermine Trump's 2016 win.

The president made the comments after being asked about the growing public clamor for him to release more files related to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Who said what

"This was treason," Trump said of the Obama administration's actions. He urged the Department of Justice to "go after people." These allegations are "bizarre" and "outrageous," Obama spokesperson Patrick Rodenbush said in a statement. The documents Gabbard released do not undercut the "widely accepted conclusion" that Russia tried to influence the 2016 presidential election but didn't manage to manipulate votes. Trump is simply making a "weak attempt at distraction." Democratic Senator Mark Warner (D-Va), the vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said that "if there had been some Obama conspiracy, we would have found it."

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Trump has historically been good at "constantly changing narratives," but the Epstein drama is "different" because he's "in a fight with his base," Republican strategist Alex Conant told The Washington Post. Trump's latest comments represent a "growing willingness to sic law enforcement agencies" on "his political enemies," said Politico.

What next?

Trump indicated the decision over whether to investigate Obama was in the hands of Attorney General Pam Bondi. The House begins a five-week summer recess today, one day early, to "avoid a political fight" over the Epstein files, Reuters said.