Trump revives outdated grievances in Oval Workplace rant, accusing Obama of treason

[ad_1] U.S. President Donald Trump rehashed long-standing grievances Tuesday over the Russia investigation that shadowed a lot of his first time period, criticizing former president Barack Obama and others following a brand new report from his intelligence director geared toward casting doubt on long-established findings about Moscow's interference within the 2016 election.

"It is time to go after individuals," Trump stated from the Oval Workplace, as he repeated a baseless declare that Obama and different officers had engaged in treason.

Trump accused the previous president, with out proof, of being the "ringleader" of a conspiracy to get him. "The chief of the gang was President Obama," he stated. "He is responsible.... This was treason."

The previous president's workplace issued a uncommon response to the allegations, saying "these weird allegations are ridiculous and a weak try at distraction.

"Out of respect for the workplace of the presidency, our workplace doesn't usually dignify the fixed nonsense and misinformation flowing out of this White Home with a response," stated Obama spokesperson Patrick Rodenbush. "However these claims are outrageous sufficient to advantage one."

Rodenbush emphasised that a number of investigations, together with a bipartisan examination by the Senate intelligence committee, discovered that Russia had meddled within the 2016 election.

Obama has by no means been accused of any wrongdoing as a part of the Russia investigation. As nicely, a landmark U.S. Supreme Court docket opinion from final 12 months shields former presidents from prosecution for official acts carried out in workplace.

Deflecting questions on Epstein case Trump launched his rant after being requested concerning the U.S. Justice Division's effort to talk with Ghislaine Maxwell, the previous girlfriend of Jeffrey Epstein who was convicted of serving to the financier sexually abuse underage ladies.

"I do not actually comply with that an excessive amount of," he stated. "It is form of a witch hunt, a continuation of the witch hunt."

Trump is underneath strain from conspiracy-minded segments of his political MAGA base to launch extra concerning the Epstein case. He is tried to maneuver on, which Democrats say is due to his affiliation with Epstein. Trump has denied information or involvement of Epstein's crimes and stated he ended their friendship years in the past.

Including to that strain is a latest Wall Avenue Journal story of a crude letter that Trump purportedly wrote to Epstein in 2003, alluding to secrets and techniques they shared. Trump has denied writing the letter and is now suing the paper and its homeowners.

Because the scrutiny has grown in latest weeks, Trump administration officers have escalated their concentrate on different issues just like the Russia investigation.

<img loading="lazy" alt="Man wearing glasses and suit talking at a podium" srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7591250.1753211476!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/congress-trump.jpg?im=Resize%3D300 300w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7591250.1753211476!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/congress-trump.jpg?im=Resize%3D460 460w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7591250.1753211476!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/congress-trump.jpg?im=Resize%3D620 620w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7591250.1753211476!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/congress-trump.jpg?im=Resize%3D780 780w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7591250.1753211476!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/congress-trump.jpg?im=Resize%3D1180 1180w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 300px,(max-width: 460px) 460px,(max-width: 620px) 620px,(max-width: 780px) 780px,(max-width: 1180px) 1180px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7591250.1753211476!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/congress-trump.jpg?im=" style="aspect-ratio:1.4993646759847523" data-cy="image-img"/> U.S. Home Speaker Mike Johnson blames Democrats, former president Joe Biden and Republican lawmaker Thomas Massie over the Jeffrey Epstein subject, throughout a information convention on the Capitol in Washington on July 22. (J. Scott Applewhite/The Related Press ) Home shut all the way down to keep away from Epstein vote Meantime, Home Speaker Mike Johnson rebuffed strain to behave on the investigation into Epstein, transferring as a substitute to ship members residence early for a month-long break from Washington after the week's legislative agenda was upended by Republican members clamouring for a vote.

Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, stated Tuesday morning that he desires to present the White Home "area" to launch the Epstein data by itself, regardless of the bipartisan push for laws that goals to drive the discharge of extra paperwork.

"There is no goal for the Congress to push an administration to do one thing they're already doing," Johnson stated at his weekly press convention, his final earlier than lawmakers depart Washington on Wednesday for his or her conventional August recess.

Beneath strain from right-wing on-line influencers, in addition to voters again residence, rank-and-file Republicans are demanding that the Home intervene within the matter.

"The general public's not going to let this die, and rightfully so," stated Rep. Ralph Norman, a South Carolina Republican.

WATCH | In search of to distract: Are Trump’s social posts an Epstein distraction tactic?

U.S. President Donald Trump has made a collection of controversial social media posts, with some political scientists saying it is possible a tactic to divert consideration away from the so-called Epstein recordsdata. Political wedge Even with the month-long break, the strain on Johnson is unlikely to finish.

Frustration within the Home has been working excessive since final week, when Republican leaders signalled potential assist for a vote on a bipartisan decision to require the Justice Division and FBI to launch all authorities paperwork on Epstein as they raced to go a $9-billion US bundle of spending cuts.

Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican whose contrarian stances are sometimes a thorn within the aspect of management, is gathering assist for a legislative manoeuvre to drive the bipartisan invoice to a Home vote, even with out management's consent.

"Now, there are lots of people right here within the swamp who suppose that, 'Oh, nicely, if we spend 5 weeks on trip, the strain for it will dissipate.' I do not suppose it may dissipate," Massie informed reporters Monday night.

Democrats have repeatedly tried to drive votes on the matter.

"It is about transparency in authorities. It is about whose aspect are you on? Are you on the aspect of the wealthy and highly effective, defending males? Or are you on the aspect of younger ladies and America's kids?" stated Rep. Ro Khanna, the California Democrat who put ahead the laws alongside Massie.

Epstein sexually abused kids a whole bunch of occasions over greater than a decade, exploiting susceptible ladies as younger as 14, authorities say. He could not have performed so with out the assistance of Maxwell, his longtime companion, prosecutors contend.

Massie stated the case is palpable sufficient to hold important political penalties.

"This will likely be a difficulty that does comply with Republicans via the midterms, and it'll comply with every particular person Republican via the midterms," he informed reporters. "It is going to comply with individuals into their primaries. Did you assist transparency and justice, or did you come up right here, get elected and fall into the swamp?"