‘Can’t Make This Stuff Up’: Tulsi Gabbard Ruthlessly Mocked for Claiming Obama Staged ‘Coup’ Against Trump

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard stunned many observers and pundits on Wednesday by joining the White House briefing and accusing former President Barack Obama of launching a “years-long coup” against Donald Trump, which she said amounted to a “treasonous conspiracy.”

Gabbard’s use of the term “coup” received special attention and mockery given the fact that, of course, Obama turned over power to Trump peacefully, and Trump served out his first term within the bounds of the Constitution.

Gabbard laid out her highly controversial allegations while addressing the press and said, “There’s a brief summary of the details that you’ll find within the House Majority staff’s report in their investigation into the Obama-directed January 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment that leads us to the very same conclusion that we announced in the release of our documents on Friday. The implications of this are far-reaching and have to do with the integrity of our democratic republic.”

Repeating many of the same talking points she has used on pro-MAGA media in recent days, she continued, “It has to do with an outgoing president taking action to manufacture intelligence, to undermine and usurp the will of the American people in that election, and launch what would be a years-long coup against the incoming President of the United States, Donald Trump.”

While Gabbard’s allegations have been widely seen as nonsensical given the highly public nature of the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation – including Trump publicly asking Russia to hack Hillary Clinton’s campaign – critics also latched onto her use of the term “coup” to describe Obama’s “crimes.”

“She literally said an outgoing president tried to usurp the will of the people after an election had taken place,” replied liberal pundit Mehdi Hasan to Gabbard’s remarks adding, “Up is down. Hot is cold. Black is white. Can’t make this stuff up.”

Of course, Obama greeted Trump at the White House in January of 2021 and attended his inauguration as part of the historic peaceful transfer of power in the United States – meaning there was no “coup” or effort by then-President Obama to take away Trump’s powers.

Below are some additional reactions:

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