By Philip C Johnson – July 21, 2025
On July 18, 2025, Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard released declassified documents, claiming they expose a “treasonous conspiracy” by Obama administration officials to undermine Donald Trump’s 2016 election victory. Gabbard alleges that former President Barack Obama, former DNI James Clapper, former CIA Director John Brennan, and former FBI Director James Comey manipulated intelligence to falsely suggest Russian interference favored Trump, aiming to “subvert the will of the American people.” She has forwarded these documents to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for criminal referrals, sparking intense speculation about potential arrests.
Gabbard’s accusations center on the FBI’s Operation Crossfire Hurricane, the investigation into Trump’s 2016 campaign ties to Russia. Her report claims pre-election intelligence indicated Russia was “probably not” using cyberattacks to influence the election, but post-election leaks to The Washington Post suggested otherwise. Gabbard points to the Clinton-funded Steele dossier as “unreliable” intelligence that fueled the narrative, leading to the Mueller investigation and heightened U.S.-Russia tensions. She insists these actions constituted a “years-long coup” and demands accountability.
X user DC_Draino claimed on July 18 that the FBI’s 2022 Mar-a-Lago raid aimed to seize declassified Crossfire Hurricane documents Trump allegedly hid to expose the “Deep State,” not to retrieve visitor logs. This unverified—but believable—claim resonates with Trump supporters, who see it as evidence of a cover-up by Obama-era officials. DC_Draino’s posts suggest the FBI sought to destroy incriminating evidence, fueling speculation that Gabbard’s referrals could target high-profile figures like Clapper, Brennan, or Comey.
Democrats, surprising no one, have fiercely rejected Gabbard’s claims. Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.) called them “baseless,” accusing her of diverting attention from Trump’s controversies, such as Epstein-related scrutiny. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) defended the 2016 Senate Intelligence Committee’s bipartisan report confirming Russian interference, arguing Gabbard is politicizing intelligence. Critics note the Mueller probe found evidence of Russian meddling, though no direct Trump campaign collusion, and warn her actions erode trust in the intelligence community. I think it’s too late in the game to worry about a trust deficit with the intelligence community. People are already extremely skeptical.
Speculation on arrests hinges on the DOJ’s response. Yesterday, (July 20) in a Fox News interview, Gabbard vowed to ensure accountability, citing whistleblowers coming forward post-release. She named Clapper, Brennan, Comey, and potentially Obama as targets, though legal experts doubt the redacted documents meet the threshold for “treason” charges. Supporters on X, like @FernandoAmandi, demand “payback,” while skeptics call it “theater” without indictments. We’ll see where this story takes us and if it has the legs that Trump supporters hope it has. 2016 may seem like a long time ago—the pre-COVID years—but in the era of Trump, it’s still a fresh wound that won’t heal.
The Global Nexter 