President Trump amplified his long-standing allegations against former President Obama, claiming the July 2024 Supreme Court ruling granting presidents immunity for official acts shields Obama from prosecution, despite Trump saying Obama “committed criminal acts.” Trump added, “He owes me big.”
Trump brands Obama as the “ringleader” of the Russiagate controversy. He and DNI Tulsi Gabbard assert the intelligence community under Obama fabricated evidence that falsely tied him to a Russian collusion narrative. Gabbard declassified a GOP-led House report that claimed the 2017 intelligence assessment was based on unverified “internet rumor” and rushed to publication before Trump’s inauguration.
Trump’s remarks included repeated references to the immunity ruling, stating, “It probably helps him a lot… But he has immunity, and it probably helps him a lot… he owes me big.”
The Trump White House has highlighted Gabbard’s claims about a “treasonous conspiracy” involving the Obama administration and senior intelligence officials. DOJ has formed a “strike force” to review whether these allegations merit prosecution.
Obama’s spokesperson dismissed Trump’s accusations as a “weak attempt at distraction,” pointing out that bipartisan Senate findings affirmed Russian interference did not alter vote outcomes. Legal experts also questioned the feasibility of prosecuting a former president, especially given constitutional and statutory barriers.
The Supreme Court’s ruling in Trump v. United States on July 1, 2024, granted former presidents immunity from criminal charges for acts performed within their constitutional authority. However, legal scholars and commentators warn that the decision raises concerns about accountability for executive misconduct.
The legal and political fallout of these developments is unfolding rapidly. Republican senators are considering appointing a special counsel, while the Justice Department weighs the practical limits of charging a former president.
