The Daily The Sprawling Government Effort to Prosecute Barack Obama
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Aug 13, 2025 
Michael S. Schmidt, an investigative reporter at The New York Times, dives into the renewed accusations against Barack Obama regarding a supposed conspiracy against Trump dating back to 2016. He discusses the alarming press briefings that lack solid evidence yet stoke political tensions. Schmidt also covers the implications of intelligence assessments, the complexities of potential prosecutions, and how these narratives shape public perception amidst ongoing political scandals. The conversation is a fascinating exploration of power struggles within U.S. political institutions.
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Coordinated Push To Reframe Russia Probe
- The Trump administration is pushing a narrative that the Russia probe was a manufactured conspiracy by Obama-era officials.
- That effort mixes declassifications with loud public claims aimed at proving criminality and distracting from other controversies.
2016 Assessment Became The Political Flashpoint
- The 2016 intelligence assessment concluded Russia sought to help Trump and hurt Clinton.
- That assessment became the political flashpoint that has fueled years of attacks and claims of illegitimacy.
Declassification Of Partisan Report Falls Short
- Tulsi Gabbard declassified partisan House material and portrayed it as definitive proof of a conspiracy.
- The released report is from Trump-aligned House Republicans and does not contain direct evidence of a criminal plot or an Obama directive.