In July 2025, a claim circulated online that U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced declassified documents indicating former U.S. president Barack Obama authorized an assassination attempt on U.S. President Donald Trump just before he assumed office the first time in 2016.

Trump, emboldened by Gabbard’s findings, lashed out at Obama, Hillary Clinton, and others, accusing them of trying to rig both the 2016 and 2020 elections. “Obama’s orders are on the paper. His fingerprints are everywhere. This is the biggest scandal in the history of our country,” Trump said.

Ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee joins Nicolle Wallace on Deadline White House with reaction to the baseless claims made by Donald Trump and his Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard,