Tulsi Gabbard, serving as Director of National Intelligence, has officially delivered a criminal referral to the Department of Justice. The recommendation centers on her contention that the Obama administration deliberately crafted false narratives about Russian interference in the 2016 election—even when internal intelligence reportedly showed no evidence of foreign manipulation to alter vote outcomes.
In a public declaration, Gabbard described her findings as a “treasonous conspiracy” and urged the DOJ to prosecute key figures, including former President Obama and senior intelligence officials. She cited more than 100 pages of declassified documents suggesting that decision-makers overrode earlier assessments to construct a politically charged narrative—allegedly intending to delegitimize President Trump’s victory.
Donald Trump amplified these claims, sharing an AI-generated video depicting former President Obama in handcuffs. In contrast, established intelligence agencies maintain that while Russia sought to influence public opinion, no evidence has linked these efforts to decisively altering the vote count.
With this referral, the DOJ has now formally received Gabbard’s request to examine potential legal violations by high-ranking former officials. Attorney General spokespersons have declined comment.