Yes—Tulsi Gabbard Really Called Obama-Era Spymasters “Treasonous.”
But prosecutions aren’t a done deal, #arrestObama never really trended, and Maurene Comey’s firing is messier than social media claims.
1. The Friday Bombshell That Wasn’t Fake
First, the big question: Did Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard truly accuse James Clapper, John Brennan and James Comey of a “treasonous conspiracy” and promise criminal referrals?
Short answer: absolutely.
• On 18 July 2025 the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) published Press Release 15-25 in which Gabbard used that exact phrase and said she would “provide all documents to the Department of Justice.”
• Major outlets—from NPR to Politico—ran the story the same day.
(Sources: dni.gov, Politico)
So the core claim in the viral article is true.
2. Who’s in the Crosshairs—and How Real Is the Risk?
James Comey, John Brennan, James Clapper
• The Justice Department confirms an active investigation into Brennan and Comey.
• No one has been charged; prosecution is still speculative.
• Democratic Sen. Mark Warner calls Gabbard’s evidence “baseless and political.”
(Source: Washington Post)
Key reality check: Gabbard’s referral raises stakes but is not an indictment.
3. The Evidence vs. The Pushback
Verified:
- Gabbard now controls the U.S. intelligence community—confirmed as DNI in Feb 2025.
- She released hundreds of pages of 2016-era intercept summaries she says were “doctored.”
Contested:
- Analysts from CIA and NSA (speaking through lawyers) deny tampering.
- The bipartisan 2020 Senate Intelligence report already concluded Russia interfered, contradicting Gabbard’s new narrative.
Still opaque:
- What the raw, unredacted documents actually show; DOJ hasn’t released them.
4. Maurene Comey: Collateral Damage or Convenient Scapegoat?
The viral piece got her story half-right and half-wrong.
True
- DOJ fired Maurene Comey on 16 July 2025.
Missing nuance
- In Sean “Diddy” Combs’s trial, prosecutors did win two Mann-Act convictions; the jury only acquitted on the heavier trafficking counts.
- DOJ never said the mixed verdict was why she was sacked; insiders also cite political heat over her earlier Epstein work.
5. The Hashtag That Wasn’t
The original piece claimed #arrestObama trended on X.
- No independent data shows the tag cracked the platform’s top-25 list on 18–19 July.
- It did bounce around in far-right circles, but “trending” appears unverified.
6. Timing Is Everything: The Epstein File Distraction Theory
Gabbard’s grenade landed the same week the Trump White House took heat for releasing a “binder of nothing” on the long-promised Epstein papers.
- Critics say the DNI’s Russia-gate reboot conveniently redirected headlines.
- The overlap in news cycles is documented; whether it was planned is speculation.
7. What Happens Next?
- DOJ’s National Security Division reviews Gabbard’s packet.
- Brennan, Clapper and Comey lawyers prepare for possible grand-jury subpoenas.
- House Intelligence Democrats push for an open hearing to test Gabbard’s claims.
- Expect leaks—lots of them—as both camps try to frame the narrative first.
8. What We Still Don’t Know
- Are the “manipulated” intel cables real forgeries or simply revised drafts?
- Will Attorney General Pam Bondi risk a precedent-shattering treason case?
- Could Gabbard herself face an inspector-general probe over earlier “Signal-gate” leaks?
Until documents go public, certainty is impossible. What’s clear: the fight over 2016 just roared back to life.
The Takeaway
Yes, Tulsi Gabbard lobbed a live grenade at Obama-era spy chiefs.
No, that doesn’t mean jail cells are being warmed up tonight.
Between untested evidence, political cross-fire, and disputed hashtags, the truth is as murky as ever—exactly where Washington’s biggest battles like to hide.