US President Donald Trump has sparked a political firestorm by accusing his predecessor Barack Obama of “treason” over alleged election rigging, while dodging questions related to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. The remarks came during a press briefing at the White House, where Trump pivoted from discussing Epstein to accusing top Democrats of orchestrating electoral manipulation from 2016 through 2020.

“They tried to rig the election, and they got caught,” Trump said, calling Obama the “leader of the gang” and claiming that figures like Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton were involved. “This was treason. They tried to steal the election,” Trump told reporters.

Obama’s spokesperson, Patrick Rodenbush, dismissed the accusations as “bizarre,” saying in a rare rebuttal, “These claims are outrageous and a weak attempt at distraction. Normally, we do not respond to the nonsense from this White House, but this merits one.”

The renewed tensions come amid renewed public scrutiny over Epstein’s ties to high-profile individuals. Epstein, who was arrested in 2019 on sex trafficking charges, died in jail in what authorities ruled a suicide. During his 2024 campaign, Trump vowed to declassify all Epstein-related documents if re-elected.

However, the Department of Justice and the FBI recently issued a joint memo stating that no “client list” exists and no further disclosures were warranted. This response has frustrated some of Trump’s supporters, with mounting calls for Attorney General Pam Bondi’s resignation and demands for more transparency.

Trump’s explosive remarks, combined with lingering questions over Epstein’s connections, have deepened political divides and drawn criticism from both sides of the aisle.