Tulsi Gabbard’s “Treason” Charge Against the Obama Team

Quick answer: She really did hand a fat packet of documents to the Justice Department—but nobody has been charged, arrested, or even formally investigated yet. And many of her central claims clash head-on with long-standing bipartisan intelligence findings.

Want to know where the hype ends and the hard facts begin? Read on.

1. The Eye-Catching Headline … and the Reality Check

Original claim:
“DNI Tulsi Gabbard threatens the Obama administration with criminal referrals over a ‘treasonous conspiracy.’”

What’s true

• Tulsi Gabbard, confirmed as Director of National Intelligence in February 2025, released a public statement on 18 July accusing several Obama-era officials—James Clapper, John Brennan, and James Comey—of “manipulating” intelligence about Russian election interference.
• She says she has forwarded “all relevant records” to the Department of Justice for “review and appropriate action.”
  Source: dni.gov press release

What’s still unproven

• DOJ has neither confirmed receiving a criminal referral nor opened a public investigation.
• No charges, subpoenas, or indictments—against Obama officials or anyone else—exist today.
  Source: Politico

2. The Week of the Two Comeys

While Tulsi’s memo rocketed around the internet, another story brewed in the same family.

The timing is edge-of-your-seat dramatic but, so far, coincidental.

3. Where Gabbard Collides With the Record Books

Gabbard alleges the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) “fabricated” evidence of Russian meddling. That charge slams straight into:

• A bipartisan 1,313-page Senate Intelligence Committee report (2020) affirming Moscow’s pro-Trump interference.
  Link: Volume 5 summary

• Multiple reviews by the DOJ inspector general that found mistakes but no politically driven falsification of intel.

So, either the entire intelligence community—under both GOP and Democratic lawmakers—got it spectacularly wrong, or Gabbard’s new documents radically rewrite a settled story. We simply don’t know yet; her files remain sealed.

4. Internet Echo Chamber vs. Reality

Original article said #ArrestObama trended on X the day of Gabbard’s memo.

• Fact-check: No credible trend-tracking service shows that hashtag entering the top-50 topics on 18 July.
  Source: Best-Hashtags trend database

The story spread anyway, boosted by screenshots without timestamps—classic viral fuel.

5. The Diddy Detour—and What Was Left Out

The article tied Maurene Comey’s firing to her inability to “get Diddy convicted.”

Left out:

• The jury did convict Sean “Diddy” Combs on two lesser counts of transporting individuals for prostitution.
• DOJ insiders say her dismissal is part of a broader political purge, not a single trial’s outcome.
  Sources: Washington Post, Wikipedia trial summary

6. What Happens Next?

1. DOJ Decision Clock

   • The Department must decide whether Gabbard’s hand-off warrants a criminal probe.
   • Historically, referrals from outside agencies do not guarantee action.

2. Document Release?

   • Lawmakers on both sides are already asking Gabbard to declassify at least parts of her dossier so the public can weigh the evidence.

3. Political Storm

   • Expect dueling hearings: House Republicans pushing for prosecution, Senate Democrats defending the 2017 ICA.

7. How We Verified (and What We Couldn’t)

✔ Checked government press releases and mainstream outlets for confirmation.
✔ Searched public trend databases for hashtag evidence.
✔ Cross-referenced court records in the Combs trial.

❓ Unable to examine Gabbard’s actual documents—still classified.
❓ DOJ has given no timeline for review; internal deliberations are secret.

8. Takeaways in Plain English

• Yes, Tulsi Gabbard dropped a bombshell.
• No, that bomb hasn’t exploded into arrests or proven treason.
• Key parts of the viral story—Obama hashtag, total Diddy acquittal, “imminent” Comey prosecution—don’t hold up.
• The biggest unknown is whether Gabbard’s files reveal genuine wrongdoing or simply reopen an old, extensively investigated chapter of U.S. political history.

Stay tuned; the next move belongs to the Justice Department. Until then, skepticism—and patience—are your best fact-checking tools.