John Bolton, who served as Donald Trump's national security adviser, has criticised Tulsi Gabbard's report alleging a "treasonous conspiracy" by Barack Obama and his administration. The report, declassified by Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence, claims Obama and former intelligence officials sought to subvert Trump's 2016 election victory.
Speaking on NewsNation, Bolton said the findings were "exaggerated" and lacking substance. He argued that Gabbard had "strung together a series of things that aren't necessarily related" and "imagined evidence that doesn't exist." He suggested the report was a campaign to save her job, noting Politico had reported the president was "down on her," and added there was "no justification" for a criminal investigation.
Gabbard's report, which she presented from the White House, draws on a Republican House investigation and contradicts CIA assessments that Russia sought to help Trump. In a statement, she said it showed a "treasonous conspiracy" committed by "officials at the highest level of our government" with the goal of enacting "a years-long coup" against the president.
The former president's office dismissed the allegations as "ridiculous" and a "weak attempt at distraction," echoing Democrats who accuse the Trump administration of seeking to divert attention from the Epstein files. Meanwhile, Trump has called the Epstein files a "hoax" cooked up by Obama, Joe Biden and James Comey.
The Epstein controversy has intensified since the Justice Department said on July 6 that no further disclosures would be made and there was no evidence of a client list. Attorney General Pam Bondi released "Phase 1" of the files in February and previously said the "client list" was on her desk, prompting outrage from Congress and Trump's supporters.
