Years after elevating conspiracy theories regarding former President Barack Obama's nationality, President Donald Trump is now claiming that Obama is an enemy to the United States.
It's not an unusual occurrence. After the release of government files regarding Russian election interference in recent months, Trump claimed it highlighted numerous crimes committed by the FBI at Obama's orders (it didn't). When asked what these supposed crimes were, Trump couldn't name a specific one.
But in a recent interview with CBN News, the President once again baselessly accused Obama of spying on his campaign—something he classifies as "treason."
Watch below.
EXCLUSIVE: President Trump on what crime President Obama would have been potentially committing regarding the previous administration spying on his campaign: "Treason. It's treason." Watch the explosive clip from my White House interview with @realDonaldTrump @POTUS @WhiteHouse pic.twitter.com/IFui3fNigS
— David Brody (@DavidBrodyCBN) June 22, 2020
Trump said:
"It's treason. Look, when I came out a long time ago, I said they've been spying on my campaign. I said they've been taping, and that was in quotes, meaning a modern day version of taping, it's all the same thing. But a modern day version. But they've been spying on my campaign."
As CNN points out, 'treason' is specifically defined in the Constitution:
"Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort."
In reality, the Obama FBI was investigating Russian election interference—which Trump denied existed at the time. As is now widely known, Russia was actively working toward a Trump victory and paths of Russian officials frequently crossed with the Trump campaign.
People didn't hesitate to fact check Trump, including CNN fact checker Daniel Dale.
Asked what crime he's alleging Obama committed, Trump identifies one for the first time: "Treason. Treason. It's treason," he told Christian Broadcasting. (This makes no sense.)
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) June 22, 2020
President Trump falsely accuses former President Barack Obama of treason in the latest unfounded attack on his predecessor https://t.co/iGEFJErrKh pic.twitter.com/ZFe3UVtgd7
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) June 23, 2020
“Let's see what happens to them now," he said, once again attempting to shift blame for campaign interference. https://t.co/W2RKFpwDjw
— HuffPost (@HuffPost) June 23, 2020
People thought the accusation paved the way for something more insidious.
This is where it's been going since the beginning.
Trump and Fox and the GOP have been irresponsibly peddling thinly-veiled New World Order allegations against Obama for twelve years now. The end result was always going to be an open accusation of treason, an executable offense. https://t.co/6QmHZl3JLB
— Jared Yates Sexton (@JYSexton) June 22, 2020
In a June 22 interview, Trump accused former President Barack Obama of committing the high crime of TREASON based on the thoroughly debunked story that the president had illegally spied on Trump's campaign. Trump's desperation is reaching frightening heights. TRUMP MUST GO.
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) June 23, 2020
Re-upping this tweet from this morning in light of Trump just now accusing President Obama of "treason." The accusation of treason lays the groundwork for Trump breaking all manner of laws, rules, and norms to get re-elected; if your opponents are traitors, it's no holds barred. https://t.co/h9nsP7drdN
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) June 22, 2020
Some thought Trump was projecting again.
Treasonous traitor accusing a President of treason.
Explain to me again why he's still in office?
— Jamie Schler (@lifesafeast) June 23, 2020
Every accusation IS a confession.
— #KamalaHarrisForVP (@TabithaOXO) June 22, 2020
This president is the last person who should be accusing anyone of treason pic.twitter.com/XVcezcSFzn
— Chris Lu (@ChrisLu44) June 23, 2020
Trump tells WaPo that Obama committed Treason. Methinks Trump doth project too much.
— Joseph Barri (@JoeBarri) June 23, 2020
Obama isn't expected to respond.
