Yes—Tulsi Gabbard Really Did Refer Obama-Era Intel Chiefs to the DOJ.
(No, James Comey has not been charged—yet.)
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard’s July 18 press release is real, and it really does accuse James Clapper, John Brennan and James Comey of a “treasonous conspiracy.” But the leap from fiery language to orange jumpsuits is, for now, only that—a leap. Below is how the story actually shakes out once the smoke clears.
The Declassified Shockwave
At 9:02 a.m. ET, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence uploaded a 27-page declassified summary asserting that the Obama administration “manufactured and politicized” intelligence about Russian meddling in 2016. Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman turned independent and now the nation’s top spy, added a staccato promise:
“My office is forwarding all underlying evidence to the Department of Justice to deliver the accountability that President Trump, his family, and the American people deserve.”
—ODNI Press Release, 18 July 2025
The language is unusually blunt for an intelligence chief. That part of the original article is spot-on.
What Happens Next? A Reality Check
-
Referral ≠ Indictment.
The DNI can ship boxes of documents to DOJ. Only prosecutors—and ultimately a grand jury—decide whether anybody is charged. -
No official probe (yet).
As of publication, the Justice Department has not announced an investigation into Comey, Clapper, Brennan or Barack Obama. -
Treason is a very high bar.
Under U.S. law, treason requires “levying war” or “adhering to” an enemy during wartime. Political spin on intelligence findings generally lands far below that threshold.
Rumor vs. Reality—Quick Scorecard
| Claim from original story | Fact-check verdict | The Take-away |
|---|---|---|
| Gabbard issued the report and said “treasonous conspiracy.” | True | Directly quoted in ODNI release |
| Comey will face prosecution. | Speculative | DOJ silent so far |
| “#arrestObama” trended on X. | Unverified | No independent trend data found |
| Trump administration skewered over Epstein files. | Mostly true | Multiple outlets reported backlash |
| Maurene Comey fired after losing Diddy case. | Timing correct, motive unclear | DOJ gave no reason |
| Jury acquitted Diddy on all counts. | False by omission | Convicted on two lesser counts |
(Sources: dni.gov, Politico, Axios, Guardian)
The Comey Family’s Very Bad Fortnight
While the ex-FBI Director waits to see if DOJ bites, his daughter Maurene quietly cleaned out her desk at the Southern District of New York. She was dismissed two weeks after a jury:
- Acquitted Sean “Diddy” Combs of sex-trafficking and racketeering,
- Convicted him on two lesser prostitution-related counts.
No link between the verdict and her firing has been established, but timing alone fueled cable-news chatter and—fairly or not—fed the narrative that “both Comeys are in trouble.”
The Hashtag That Maybe Wasn’t
TMZ swore that #arrestObama hit X’s trending list hours after Gabbard’s announcement. We dug through:
- Archive.org captures of X’s “What’s Happening” sidebar
- Trend-tracking dashboards such as TrendPop and GetDayTrends
- Major-media live blogs from July 18–19
Zero hits. The hashtag certainly existed—users posted it—but there’s no evidence it trended nationally. Until X or a third-party analytics firm coughs up data, that claim stays in limbo.
Why Gabbard’s Move Matters Anyway
Even if no one is frog-marched out of their homes tomorrow morning, the referral carries weight:
- It opens a formal evidentiary channel from the intelligence community to DOJ.
- It revives the years-old, still-polarizing debate over whether the U.S. intelligence apparatus picked sides in 2016.
- It places Biden’s Justice Department in the awkward position of deciding whether to investigate its predecessors during an election cycle.
In Washington, process is sometimes punishment; simply knowing your emails, call logs and testimony might be reviewed can chill a book tour or derail a lucrative consulting gig.
What We Still Don’t Know
- Will Attorney General Pam Bondi green-light a probe, or quietly file Gabbard’s referral away?
- How solid—or selective—are the 300+ pages of underlying intel that remain classified?
- Could the treason talk backfire if DOJ concludes there’s no there there?
Stay tuned: Congressional committees have already requested public hearings, and FOIA lawyers are sharpening their pens.
Bottom Line
Yes, Tulsi Gabbard really did accuse key Obama-era officials of a “treasonous conspiracy” and forwarded evidence to the Justice Department.
No, that does not mean James Comey—or Barack Obama—has been charged with anything.
Everything in between is a mix of verified fact, political theater and internet hearsay. We’ll keep separating them so you don’t have to.