Yes—Tulsi Gabbard really did hand stacks of Obama-era intel to the Justice Department.
But the “treason,” the viral #arrestObama chant, and the Comey family subplot?
Those parts are far messier—and stranger—than the headline suggests.
The Fuse That Was Lit
Late on a sweltering Friday afternoon, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard strode to a podium and released “News Release 15-25.” In it, she claimed senior officials under President Barack Obama “manufactured and politicized” intelligence about Russian meddling in 2016. Within minutes:
- Conservative influencers cheered: Finally, proof of the deep state!
- Liberal pundits scoffed: Another shiny object tossed by Trumpworld.
- And somewhere in between, casual readers tried to figure out what was real.
So we dug into public records, official statements, and reputable news reports. Here is what checks out—and what doesn’t.
1. The Alleged “Treasonous Conspiracy”
Verified core, exaggerated wording
- True: Gabbard accused former DNI James Clapper, ex-CIA chief John Brennan, and ex-FBI director James Comey of a 2016 intelligence “conspiracy.”
Source: ODNI press release, 18 July 2025. - Stretch: The official document never said “treason.” That spicier word appeared only when Gabbard repeated the charge on cable TV later that night.
Sources: The Guardian, Daily Beast.
Why it matters: “Treason” is not just colorful language; it carries the death-penalty weight of the Constitution. Using it outside a courtroom spices public opinion but has no legal force.
2. Criminal Referrals vs. Criminal Charges
Investigation confirmed—prosecution uncertain
- DOJ has active probes into Brennan and James Comey’s handling of 2016 intelligence.
Source: Washington Post, 9 July 2025. - No indictments have been filed. A referral is essentially a “please look at this” memo, not an arrest warrant.
Think of it like a neighbor handing police a folder labeled “Suspicious Activity.” Interesting, yes. Proof of a crime? Not yet.
3. The Maurene Comey Twist
Fired, yes. Fired because of Diddy, unproven.
Maurene Comey, daughter of James, was dismissed from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan three weeks after rap mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs was acquitted on major trafficking counts.
What we actually know:
- She lost her job. DOJ offered no explanation.
- The Diddy jury did convict on two lesser Mann-Act counts but cleared him of the headline charges.
- Linking her firing to that verdict is speculation.
In other words: correlation, no proven causation.
4. Did #arrestObama Really Trend?
Unverified. Proceed with caution.
Screenshots of X (Twitter) show the hashtag climbing lists, but no independent trend-tracking service or mainstream outlet logged it as a U.S. Top 10 on 18-19 July. Could it have spiked briefly? Possibly. Was it a platform-wide trend? Evidence is shaky.
5. The Epstein File Sideshow
Timing verified
Gabbard’s bombshell did drop while critics hammered the Trump DOJ for a slow-walk release of Jeffrey Epstein documents. Major outlets tied the two stories together, noting the optics of one scandal nudging another out of the headlines.
Key Takeaways—Fact vs. Fog
| Claim | Status |
|---|---|
| Gabbard forwarded Obama-era intel to DOJ | True |
| She labeled it a “treasonous conspiracy” in the official document | False (word used only in interviews) |
| Brennan, Clapper, Comey under criminal investigation | True |
| Indictments imminent | Not yet |
| Maurene Comey fired because she lost the Diddy case | Unproven |
| #arrestObama trended | Unverified |
Why This Story Matters
- A sitting Director of National Intelligence accusing her predecessors of manipulating Russia intel is extraordinary—no modern parallel exists.
- The legal bar for “treason” is sky-high; careless use of the term can poison public debate.
- Social-media echo chambers often outrun documented fact, muddying waters just when clarity is needed most.
What Happens Next?
- DOJ investigators will decide whether the folders Gabbard sent contain crimes or just clashing interpretations of raw intel.
- James Comey, John Brennan, and James Clapper—all of whom deny wrongdoing—may face grand-jury subpoenas before year’s end.
- Expect more document dumps, televised testimony, and yes, fresh hashtags.
The Bottom Line
Gabbard’s disclosure is real and serious, but some of the loudest online claims—mass arrests, proven treason, fired prosecutors as political revenge—remain unsubstantiated. Keep watching; just keep your fact-checker handy.