E-Paper
Fact check: Could Barack Obama be arrested amid Trump's ‘Russia hoax’ claims? Here's what we know
Trump intensified attacks on Obama after Tulsi Gabbard’s declassified claims on the “Russia hoax.” MAGA supporters spread rumors of Obama’s arrest.
President Donald Trump, since taking office at the White House for the second time, has continued to attack former President Barack Obama over his various policies.
What were only allegations before, turned serious after Tulsi Gabbard, the National Intelligence director, declassified a set of documents alleging Obama was behind the "Russia hoax" - the Democrats' allegations about Trump's purported links to Russia before the 2016 US election.
Trump has since taken several digs at the Obamas. On one occasion, he posted a video portraying Barack and Michelle Obama seemingly as monkeys. It drew criticism for being racist. Amid Trump's continuing criticism of Obama over the "Russia hoax," his MAGA supporters on social media are calling for his arrest for treason.
In doing so, many seemed to be spreading rumors that he was arrested, or could be on the verge of being arrested, after the White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt alleged that Obama's action amounted to treason. Gabbard also alleged that Obama, with the then-CIA director, orchestrated what she called a "treasonous conspiracy."
Hundreds of posts have been made from Make America Great Again (MAGA) accounts which called for Obama's arrest. Even the news outlet Newsmax ran a segment where one guest called for Obama's arrest.
For instance, here's a post:
Here's the Newsmax segment, which is viral on social media for allegedly calling for the arrest of Barack Obama.
Could Barack Obama Be Arrested?
Tulsi Gabbard, in a series of declassified documents in July 2025, claimed that the Obama administration fabricated intelligence, relying on the discredited Steele dossier, to falsely portray Russian interference as aiding Trump's election win over Hillary Clinton.
Also read: Did TLC’s Chilli vote Republican? Georgia voter records surface amid Trump donation row
Gabbard described the allegations as a "prolonged coup" accusing Obama of treason. She forwarded evidence to the DOJ for potential prosecution of Obama and others. She called them "irrefutable" during White House briefings.
However, DOJ reviews of the evidence found insufficient grounds for prosecution, citing statute of limitations. Additionally, Additionally, the DOJ reportedly found that the Gabbard's claims do not amount to new criminal evidence.
As of March 2026, no charges have been filed against Obama or other named officials like John Brennan or James Clapper.
DOJ not moving with prosecuting Obama is also in line with criticism of Gabbard's allegations by CNN and USA Today. The news outlets dismissed her claims as misleading revisions of history, noting they don't refute the 2017 ICA's core findings.
