Allegations of Barack Obama spying on Donald Trump
{{short description|Claims that President Obama spied on incoming President Trump}}
{{See also|Spygate (conspiracy theory)#Trump and his allies' allegations|Trump Tower wiretapping allegations}}
{{Redirect|Obamagate|other Obama administration controversies|Category:Obama administration controversies}}
{{use mdy dates |date=August 2020}}
File:Barack Obama meets with Donald Trump in the Oval Office (crop 2).jpg
As part of a large and baseless conspiracy theory, Donald Trump posited that Barack Obama had spied on him, {{cite web |last=Kirby |first=Jen |date=May 15, 2020 |title="Obamagate":|url=https://www.vox.com/2020/5/15/21257299/obamagate-trump-flynn-unmasking-conspiracy |website=Vox}} which Trump described as "the biggest political crime in American history, by far."{{cite news |url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/05/obamagate-as-explained-by-president-trump.html
|title='Obamagate' As Explained by President Trump |first=Matt |last=Stieb |quote=President Trump had a prolific day online, posting 126 tweets or retweets as part of his Mother’s Day celebration. Several of the missives treated a new political project of his: Obamagate.
|work=New York Magazine |date=May 11, 2020}} The series of accusations have been nicknamed Obamagate.{{cite news
|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/10/13/trump-obamagate-abuse-power/ |title=Trump is abusing his power for political reasons — just like he says Obama did |first=Joshua A.|last= Geltzer |quote=The president is trying to use the government to skew the election |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=October 13, 2020}}{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-06-23/trump-obamagate-birtherism-false-allegations |title=From Birtherism to 'Treason': Trump's False Allegations Against Obama |first=Arit |last= John |quote=Trump said ... without evidence, that Obama had committed “treason” by spying on his campaign, in reference to his years-old claim that the Obama administration tapped his phone lines at Trump Tower before the 2016 general election. |work=The Los Angeles Times |date=June 23, 2020}}{{cite web|last=Olmstead|first=Molly|date=2020-10-08|title=When Asked About the Peaceful Transition of Power, Mike Pence Started Talking About "Obamagate"|url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/10/vice-presidential-debate-pence-transfer-power-obamagate.html|access-date=2021-02-06|website=Slate Magazine|language=en}}{{Cite news|last=Roose|first=Kevin|date=2020-10-20|title=How 'Spygate' Attacks Fizzled|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/20/technology/how-spygate-attacks-fizzled.html|access-date=2021-02-06|issn=0362-4331}} Obama had served as President of the United States from 2009 until 2017, when Trump succeeded him; Trump served as president until 2021 (first term), but he was re-elected in 2024.
During key points of the 2020 campaign, including the Republican National Convention{{cite web|url=https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/obama-spying-trump-campaign/|title=Did Obama Get Caught 'Spying' on Trump's 2016 Campaign?|website=Snopes.com|date=September 29, 2020 }}{{cite news|author=Analysis by Marshall Cohen|title=Analysis: 'They spied on my campaign': How Trump transformed a conspiracy theory into a political rallying cry|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/29/politics/trump-spying-campaign-obama-fact-check/index.html|access-date=2021-02-06|website=CNN}} and both presidential debates,{{cite web|url=https://www.concordmonitor.com/First-presidential-debate-Trump-Biden-full-transcript-36532544|title=Read the full transcript of the first presidential debate}}{{cite web|title=Debate transcript: Trump, Biden final presidential debate moderated by Kristen Welker|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/10/23/debate-transcript-trump-biden-final-presidential-debate-nashville/3740152001/|access-date=2021-02-06|website=USA TODAY|language=en-US}} Trump frequently repeated this theory, claiming "they spied on my campaign" in reference to these allegations.{{Citation|title=President Trump repeats unsupported claim about spying|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/video/president-trump-repeats-unsupported-claim-about-spying/|language=en-US|access-date=2021-02-06}} The specific allegations of inappropriate politically motivated surveillance or "spying" all involve the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Crossfire Hurricane investigation of the Trump campaign and transition and their ties to Russia. No evidence has been found that legal surveillance, as part of Crossfire Hurricane, was at the direction of Obama, Obama administration political officials or improper deep state influence, or that the Steele dossier was used to launch the Russia probe,{{cite web|last1=Washington|first1=District of Columbia 1100 Connecticut Ave NW Suite 1300B|last2=Dc 20036|title=PolitiFact - Donald Trump falsely says new Carter Page documents show Steele dossier launched Russia probe|url=https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2018/jul/23/donald-trump/donald-trump-falsely-says-new-carter-page-document/|access-date=2021-02-06|website=@politifact|language=en-US}} or that the surveillance was designed to surveil the Trump campaign and Trump White House transition team for political purposes.
Trump has claimed that as part of Crossfire Hurricane, his "wires" at Trump Tower were wiretapped. This was refuted by Trump's own Justice Department.{{cite web|date=2017-09-02|title=Trump's claim that Obama wiretapped his campaign is false, says U.S. Department of Justice|url=https://www.newsweek.com/trump-russia-investigation-wiretap-fbi-obama-658888|access-date=2021-02-06|website=Newsweek|language=en}} In addition, Trump has claimed that after the Crossfire Hurricane investigation recorded Michael Flynn's conversations with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak, Flynn was improperly "unmasked". This was also refuted by the Trump Justice Department.{{Cite news|last1=Zapotosky|first1=Matt|last2=Harris|first2=Shane|title='Unmasking' probe commissioned by Barr concludes without charges or any public report|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/barr-unmasking-review-no-charges/2020/10/13/0f63fd2e-0d67-11eb-8074-0e943a91bf08_story.html|access-date=2021-02-06|issn=0190-8286}} Specific actions undertaken by the FBI that have been highlighted include the use of an informant who met with Trump advisors Sam Clovis, George Papadopoulos, and Carter Page,{{cite web|last=Costa |first=Robert |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/secret-fbi-source-for-russia-investigation-met-with-three-trump-advisers-during-campaign/2018/05/18/9778d9f0-5aea-11e8-b656-a5f8c2a9295d_story.html |title=Secret FBI source for Russia investigation met with three Trump advisers during campaign |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=2018-05-18 |accessdate=2022-06-18}} as well as obtaining a FISA warrant to legally surveil Carter Page after he left the Trump campaign.
The Inspector General report on the Crossfire Hurricane investigation did not find evidence that "political bias or improper motivation influenced the FBI's decision to seek FISA authority on Carter Page", but did point out serious inconsistencies and improper procedures that were followed with regard to the obtaining of the warrants.{{cite web|date=2019-12-11|title=Horowitz tells Blumenthal there was no FBI 'spying' on Trump campaign|url=https://ctmirror.org/2019/12/11/horowitz-tells-blumenthal-there-was-no-fbi-spying-on-trump-campaign/|access-date=2021-02-06|website=The CT Mirror|language=en-US}} The Inspector General wrote that his review "found no evidence that the FBI attempted to place any" FBI source in the Trump campaign.{{cite news |last1=Bump |first1=Philip |title=What Trump claimed about the Russia probe — and what the Justice Department inspector general determined |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/12/09/what-trump-claimed-about-russia-probe-what-justice-department-inspector-general-determined/ |accessdate=December 30, 2019 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=December 9, 2019 |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20191227094744/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/12/09/what-trump-claimed-about-russia-probe-what-justice-department-inspector-general-determined/ |archivedate=December 27, 2019 |quote="We found no evidence that the FBI used CHSs" — confidential human sources — "or UCEs" — undercover employees — "to interact with members of the Trump campaign prior to the opening of the Crossfire Hurricane investigation," the report states. “After the opening of the investigation, we found no evidence that the FBI placed any CHSs or UCEs within the Trump campaign or tasked any CHSs or UCEs to report on the Trump campaign." Horowitz’s investigators also "found no documentary or testimonial evidence that political bias or improper motivations influenced the FBI's decision to use CHSs or UCEs to interact with Trump campaign officials in the Crossfire Hurricane investigation." |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Blake |first1=Aaron |title=4 takeaways from the Horowitz report on the Russia investigation |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/12/09/takeaways-horowitz-report-russia-investigation/ |accessdate=December 30, 2019 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=December 9, 2019 |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20191209215852/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/12/09/takeaways-horowitz-report-russia-investigation/ |archivedate=December 9, 2019 |quote=Third, it addresses allegations that the FBI planted an informant in the Trump campaign, saying "we found no evidence that the FBI attempted to place any CHSs within the Trump campaign, recruit members of the Trump campaign as CHSs, or task CHSs to report on the Trump campaign." [...] One supervisory special agent (SSA) describes believing a confidential human source’s (CHS) information because the source was a Trump backer ... But it turns out that not only was the source a Trump supporter, so too were the agents involved in cultivating him. |url-status=live }} The review also "found no evidence" that the FBI had tried to "recruit members of the Trump campaign" to serve as their sources. Finally, the review did not produce evidence that "political bias or improper motivations influenced" the FBI's usage of confidential sources or undercover agents for interactions with members of Trump's campaign.
Background
{{see also|Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections|Senate Intelligence Committee report on Russian interference in the 2016 United States presidential election}}
According to the results of a U.S. Senate investigation, the government of Russia directly and through intermediaries sought influence within 2016 U.S. presidential election candidate Donald Trump's political campaigns and also to sow discord within American society.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/18/us/politics/senate-intelligence-russian-interference-report.html|title=G.O.P.-Led Senate Panel Details Ties Between 2016 Trump Campaign and Russia|first=Mark|last=Mazzetti|date=September 22, 2020|newspaper=The New York Times}}{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/08/21/provocative-details-senate-intel/|title=Five provocative nuggets from the Senate intel report on Trump and Russia|first=Aaron|last=Blake|via=The Washington Post}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/senate-intelligence-committee-releases-final-report-from-russia-investigation-11597758014|title=Senate Panel's Russia Probe Found Counterintelligence Risks in Trump's 2016 Campaign|author1=Dustin Volz|author2=Warren P. Strobel|date=August 18, 2020|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal}} Thus, actions taken by the then-current Obama Administration in its investigations into these alleged Russian influences provide the bases for claims that it spied on Trump.
Conspiracy theory elements
- Crossfire Hurricane (FBI investigation){{cite web|url=https://www.vox.com/2020/5/15/21257299/obamagate-trump-flynn-unmasking-conspiracy|title="Obamagate": Trump's latest conspiracy theory, explained|first=Jen|last=Kirby|date=May 15, 2020|website=Vox}}
- Deep state in the United States{{Cite news|date=May 13, 2020 |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/13/politics/trump-obama-obamagate-russia/index.html|title=Breaking down 'Obamagate,' Trump's latest theory about the 'deep state' and Obama's role in the Russia investigation|first1=Marshall |last1=Cohen |first2=Jeremy |last2=Herb |website=CNN}}
- Inspector General report on the Crossfire Hurricane investigation{{cite web |url=https://www.swtimes.com/opinion/20200521/in-sort-of-debunking-obamagate-barr-actually-boosts-trumps-conspiracy-theory |date=May 21, 2020 |title=In (sort of) debunking 'Obamagate,' Barr actually boosts Trump's conspiracy theory |first=Michael |last=McGough |website=Times Record |access-date=August 12, 2020 |archive-date=December 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202185323/https://www.swtimes.com/opinion/20200521/in-sort-of-debunking-obamagate-barr-actually-boosts-trumps-conspiracy-theory |url-status=dead }}
- Robert Mueller's Special Counsel investigation{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/trump-has-no-concept-of-the-public-interest-neither-does-william-barr-apparently/2020/05/15/7707b368-96d8-11ea-9f5e-56d8239bf9ad_story.html |date=May 15, 2020 |title=Opinion: Trump's strategy: First, dismantle Mueller. Then peddle 'Obamagate.'|first1=Ruth |last1=Marcus |newspaper=Washington Post}}
- Russia investigation origins counter-narrative
- Spygate (conspiracy theory){{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/05/20/shape-shifting-genius-obamagate/|title=Opinion: The shape-shifting genius of Obamagate |date=May 20, 2020 |first1=Molly |last1=Roberts |newspaper=Washington Post}}
- Steele dossier, written by former Mi6 Agent Christopher Steele{{cite web|url=https://thehill.com/opinion/white-house/499755-heres-why-reporters-are-not-asking-the-white-house-about-obamagate|title=Here's why reporters are not asking the White House about 'Obamagate'|first=Daniel|last=Allott|date=May 27, 2020|website=TheHill}}
- Trump Tower wiretapping allegations{{Cite news |first=Jan |last=Wolfe |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-obamagate-explainer-idUSKBN22Q1JL|title=Explainer: Trump keeps raising 'Obamagate.' What's that?|date=May 14, 2020|work=Reuters}}
- United States v. Flynn{{Cite news |first1=Philip |last1=Rucker |first2=Matt |last2=Zapotosky |first3=Robert |last3=Costa |first4=Shane |last4=Harris |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/obamagate-flynn-trump-election-campaign-theory-a9516286.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200519155414/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/obamagate-flynn-trump-election-campaign-theory-a9516286.html |archive-date=2020-05-19 |url-access=limited |url-status=live|title=How the 'Obamagate' conspiracy theory became central to Trump's reelection campaign|date=May 15, 2020|website=The Independent}}
- Unmasking aides to Donald Trump{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/13/donald-trump-obamagate-conspiracy-theory-biden-flynn-unmasking|title='Obamagate': Trump seeks to draw Biden into conspiracy theory|first=David|last=Smith|date=May 14, 2020|newspaper=The Guardian}}
=Trump campaign figures allegedly spied upon=
- Sam Clovis, national co-chair{{cite web|url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/05/trump-uncovers-biggest-scandal-in-u-s-history-yet-again.html|title=Trump Uncovers 'Biggest Political Scandal in U.S. History,' Yet Again|first=Adam K.|last=Raymond|date=May 15, 2020|website=Intelligencer}}
- Michael Flynn, campaign advisor and future National Security Advisor{{Cite news |date=May 21, 2020 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/05/14/what-is-obamagate-how-does-it-involve-michael-flynn/|title=Analysis: What is 'Obamagate,' anyway? And how does it involve Michael Flynn?|first=Amber |last=Phillips |newspaper=Washington Post}}
- Paul Manafort, campaign manager
- Carter Page, foreign policy advisor{{Cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/senate-republicans-approve-subpoenas-ex-obama-officials-russia-probe-origins-n1224896 |first1=Leigh Ann |last1=Caldwell |first2=Frank, V |last2=Thorp |date=June 4, 2020 |title=Senate Republicans approve subpoenas for ex-Obama officials on Russia probe origins|website=NBC News}}
- George Papadopoulos, foreign policy advisor
=Obama administration figures allegedly involved=
- John Brennan, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency{{Cite news |first=John |last=Kass |date=May 20, 2020 |url=https://www.startribune.com/the-president-s-obamagate-theory-there-s-something-there/570627352/|title=Opinion Exchange: The president's 'Obamagate' theory: There's something there|website=Star Tribune}}
- James Clapper, Director of National Intelligence{{Cite news |first=Massood|last=Farivar |date=May 5, 2020 |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/usa_us-politics_what-obamagate/6189342.html|title=What is Obamagate? |website=Voice of America }}
- James Comey, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation{{Cite news |date=May 11, 2020 |first1=Andrew |last1=Desiderio |first2=Kyle |last2=Cheney |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/05/11/senate-republicans-trump-obamagate-249734|title=Senate Republicans break with Trump over 'Obamagate'|website=Politico}}
- Stefan Halper, FBI Informant{{Cite news |first=Jerry |last=Dunleavy |url=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/stefan-halper-the-cambridge-professor-the-fbi-sent-to-spy-on-trump|title=Stefan Halper: The Cambridge don the FBI sent to spy on Trump|date=April 11, 2019|website=Washington Examiner}}
- Bruce Ohr, Justice Department official
- Susan Rice, National Security Advisor{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/05/20/susan-rice-slams-dishonest-accusations-declassified-email/5226879002/ |date=May 21, 2020 |title=Susan Rice responds to 'dishonest accusations' after email about Obama meeting on Flynn declassified|first=William|last=Cummings|website=USA TODAY}}
- Peter Strzok, FBI Counterintelligence Division{{Cite news |first=Frank |last=Miele |date=July 6, 2020 |url=https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2020/07/06/is_strzok_memo_the_rosetta_stone_of_obamagate_143628.html|title=Is Strzok Memo the Rosetta Stone of Obamagate? |accessdate=August 19, 2020 |website=RealClearPolitics}}
- Sally Yates, United States Deputy Attorney General{{Cite news |date=August 5, 2020 |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/08/05/sally-yates-obama-biden-flynn-investigation-391817|title=Yates says Obama, Biden didn't influence Flynn investigation|first=Kyle|last=Cheney|website=Politico}}
- Unnamed U.S. government investigator, used by the FBI as an informant{{cite news |last1=Goldman |first1=Adam |last2=Schmidt |first2=Michael S. |last3=Mazzetti |first3=Mark |date=May 2, 2019 |title=F.B.I. Sent Investigator Posing as Assistant to Meet With Trump Aide in 2016 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/02/us/politics/fbi-government-investigator-trump.html |url-status=live |work=The New York Times |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190507024120/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/02/us/politics/fbi-government-investigator-trump.html |archive-date=May 7, 2019 |access-date=July 7, 2022}}
Investigations launched
=Trump administration officials or its allies involved=
- William Barr, United States Attorney General{{Cite news |first=Chuck |last=Ross |date=June 1, 2020 |url=https://news.yahoo.com/obamagate-barr-appoints-prosecutor-review-080000740.html|title=Obamagate? Barr Appoints Prosecutor to Review Obama "Unmasking' of Trump Associates|website=news.yahoo.com}}
- Doug Collins, former Ranking Member of the United States House Committee on the Judiciary{{cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/video/durham-probe-will-lead-to-indictments-rep-doug-collins/vi-BB16YKpR |date=July 20, 2020 |title=Durham probe will lead to indictments: Rep. Doug Collins|website=MSN.com }}
- John Durham, United States Attorney{{Cite news |date=May 18, 2020 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/05/18/obamagate-is-all-about-your-definition-freedom/|title=Opinion: 'Obamagate' is here to stay|first=Hugh |last=Hewitt |newspaper=Washington Post}}
- Lindsey Graham, Chairman of the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/senate-judiciary-to-request-obama-officials-related-to-russia-probe-testify-could-subpoena-testimony|title=Graham to seek testimony from Obama officials on Russia probe, could issue subpoenas|first=Brooke|last=Singman|date=May 12, 2020|website=Fox News}}
- Michael E. Horowitz, United States Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General{{cite web|url=https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/fbi/498873-fbi-director-stuck-in-the-middle-with-obamagate|title=FBI director stuck in the middle with 'Obamagate'|first=Linda|last=Petre|date=May 21, 2020|website=TheHill}}
- Ron Johnson, Chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/06/04/obama-officials-probe-subpoena-300970 |first=Andrew |last=Desiderio |date=June 4, 2020 |title=Republican-led Senate panel authorizes subpoenas in probe of Obama officials|website=Politico}}
- Jim Jordan, Ranking Member of the United States House Committee on the Judiciary{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/media/jim-jordan-john-durham-james-comey-russia-probe|title=Jim Jordan hopes Durham is 'looking hard' at Comey: He was the 'common denominator'|first=Talia|last=Kaplan|date=May 12, 2020|website=Fox News}}
- Devin Nunes, Ranking Member of the United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, via the Nunes memo{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/sebastian-gorka-at-cpac-nunes-memo-has-led-to-obama-gate-scandal |first=Gabby |last=Morrongiello |title=Sebastian Gorka at CPAC: Nunes memo has led to 'Obama-gate' scandal|date=February 24, 2018|website=Washington Examiner}}
Timeline
=May 2020: Trump allegations=
On May 10, 2020—one day after former president Barack Obama criticized the Trump administration's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic{{cite news|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/05/obamagate-birtherism-all-over-again/611692/|title=How to Understand 'Obamagate'|last=Graham|first=David A.|date=May 15, 2020|work=The Atlantic|accessdate=May 18, 2020}}—Trump posted a one-word tweet: "OBAMAGATE!"{{cite news |last1=Pengelly |first1=Martin |title=Trump claims Obama committed 'biggest political crime in American history' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/10/trump-obama-biggest-political-american-history-russia-michael-flynn |accessdate=May 29, 2020 |work=The Guardian |date=May 10, 2020}} On May 11, Philip Rucker of The Washington Post asked Trump what crime former president Barack Obama committed. Trump's reply was: "Obamagate. It's been going on for a long time ... from before I even got elected and it's a disgrace that it happened.... Some terrible things happened and it should never be allowed to happen in our country again." When Rucker again asked what the crime was, Trump said: "You know what the crime is. The crime is very obvious to everybody. All you have to do is read the newspapers, except yours."{{cite news |last1=Rupar |first1=Aaron |title=It took one question for a reporter to expose Trump's latest baseless Obama conspiracy theory |url=https://www.vox.com/2020/5/11/21255214/trump-obamagate-philip-rucker-coronavirus-press-conference |accessdate=June 2, 2020 |work=Vox |date=May 11, 2020}} On May 15, Trump tweeted that Obamagate was the "greatest political scandal in the history of the United States." This was the third time Trump claimed to be suffering from a scandal of such magnitude, after previously giving Spygate and the Russia investigation similar labels.{{cite news |last1=Raymond |first1=Adam |title=Trump Uncovers 'Biggest Political Scandal in U.S. History,' Yet Again |url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/05/trump-uncovers-biggest-scandal-in-u-s-history-yet-again.html |accessdate=June 2, 2020 |work=New York |date=May 15, 2020}} Also on May 15, Trump linked Obamagate to the "persecution" of Michael Flynn, and a missing 302 form.{{cite news |title=Politique : Le " Obamagate ", la nouvelle théorie du complot de Donald Trump |url=https://www.vanityfair.fr/pouvoir/politique/story/le-obamagate-la-nouvelle-theorie-du-complot-de-donald-trump/11777 |accessdate=June 2, 2020 |work=Vanity Fair |date=May 15, 2020 |language=French}}{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.vanityfair.fr/pouvoir/politique/story/le-obamagate-la-nouvelle-theorie-du-complot-de-donald-trump/11777|title=Obamagate : La théorie du complot qui obsède Donald Trump|first1=Vanity|last1=Fair|first2=Condé Nast Digital|last2=France|date=May 15, 2020|magazine=Vanity Fair}}
Trump called for Congress to summon Obama to testify about "the biggest political crime".{{cite news |last1=Sabur |first1=Rozina |title=No criminal investigation likely for 'Obamagate' claims, US attorney general says |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/05/18/no-criminal-investigation-likely-obamagate-claims-us-attorney/ |accessdate=June 2, 2020 |work=The Daily Telegraph |archivedate=June 2, 2020 |date=May 18, 2020 |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20200602044630/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/05/18/no-criminal-investigation-likely-obamagate-claims-us-attorney/}} Senator Lindsey Graham, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said that he did not expect to summon Obama, but would summon other Obama administration officials.{{cite news |last1=Desidero |first1=Andrew |last2=Cheney |first2=Kyle |title=Senate Republicans break with Trump over 'Obamagate' |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/05/11/senate-republicans-trump-obamagate-249734 |accessdate=June 2, 2020 |work=Politico |date=May 12, 2020}} Meanwhile, Attorney General William Barr stated that he did not "expect" Obama to be investigated of a crime. Some of Trump's allies have suggested that the "crime" involved the FBI launching an investigation into incoming national security advisor Michael Flynn,{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/trump-allies-push-obamagate-record-fails-back-them-n1206666|title=Trump allies push 'Obamagate,' but record fails to back them up|date=May 14, 2020|work=NBC News|accessdate=May 18, 2020}} or possibly the "unmasking" by outgoing Obama officials to find out the name of a person who was reported in intelligence briefings to be conversing with the Russian ambassador.{{cite news|title=Acting intelligence chief has declassified names of Obama officials who 'unmasked' Flynn|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/12/politics/dni-declassify-names-flynn/index.html|author1=Zachary Cohen |author2=Alex Marquardt |author3=Evan Perez |author4=Chandelis Duster|website=CNN|date=May 12, 2020 |access-date=May 28, 2020}}
In a May 2020 op-ed at the news website RealClearPolitics, Charles Lipson, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Chicago analyzed the content of "Obamagate". He claimed that the concept refers to three accusations: (1) The Obama administration conducted mass surveillance through the NSA; (2) the Obama administration used surveillance against Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, and (3) the Obama administration did not transfer power seamlessly to the new Trump administration. Lipson further claimed that "these abuses didn’t simply follow each other; their targets, goals, and principal players overlapped. Taken together, they represent some of the gravest violations of constitutional norms and legal protections in American history".{{cite web|url=https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2020/05/27/what_the_obamagate_scandals_mean_and_why_they_matter.html|title=What the 'Obamagate' Scandals Mean and Why They Matter | RealClearPolitics|website=www.realclearpolitics.com}}
The Associated Press (AP) in May 2020 addressed Obamagate in a fact check, stating that there was "no evidence" of Trump's suggestion that "the disclosure of Flynn's name as part of legal U.S. surveillance of foreign targets was criminal and motivated by partisan politics." AP stated that there is not only "nothing illegal about unmasking," but also that the unmasking of Flynn was approved using the National Security Agency's "standard process." Unmasking is allowed if officials feel that it is needed to understand the collected intelligence. AP further pointed out that the Trump administration was conducting even more unmasking than the Obama administration in the final year of Obama's presidency.{{cite news |last1=Yen |first1=Hope |last2=Tucker |first2=Eric |last3=Perrone |first3=Matthew |title=AP FACT CHECK: Trump, GOP distortion on Flynn; virus fiction |work=Associated Press News |url=https://apnews.com/b33bb0fac204009a84f4431da6cfd4f3}}
In May, attorney general Bill Barr appointed federal prosecutor John Bash to examine unmasking conducted by the Obama administration.{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/27/politics/william-barr-unmasking-investigation/index.html|title=Attorney general launches new 'unmasking' investigation around 2016 election|author=David Shortell|website=CNN|date=May 28, 2020 }}
=August 2020: Yates testimony=
The concept underlies in part a 2020 U.S. Senate investigation{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/01/magazine/william-barr-attorney-general.html|title=William Barr's State of Emergency|first=Mattathias|last=Schwartz|date=June 1, 2020|newspaper=The New York Times}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/08/05/how-do-we-handle-5-million-covid-19-cases-us-talk-about-hillarys-emails/ |date=August 5, 2020 |title=Opinion: Our nation is in a free fall. But sure, let's talk about Hillary's emails again.|first=Dana |last=Milbank|newspaper=Washington Post}} into the 2016–onward FBI's Crossfire Hurricane investigation.[https://www.justice.gov/storage/120919-examination.pdf Inspector General Report, December 2019, p. 2]: "On August 16, 2016, the FBI opened a fourth individual case under Crossfire Hurricane on Michael Flynn, who was serving at the time as the Trump campaign's National Security Advisor." Former deputy attorney general Sally Yates on August 5, 2020, testified before the Committee that investigators were concerned that the national security adviser to president elect Trump, Michael Flynn, was conversing in private with the Russian ambassador. According to Yates, Obama was interested in whether Flynn ought to be considered a safe recipient for sensitive briefings and Obama "did not in any way attempt to direct or influence any kind of investigation. Something like that would have set off alarms for me."{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/05/us/politics/sally-yates-flynn-investigation.html|title=Sally Yates, Under Attack by Republicans, Defends Flynn Investigation|first=Nicholas|last=Fandos|date=August 5, 2020|newspaper=The New York Times}}{{Cite news |date=May 21, 2020 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/05/21/obamagate-suffers-another-significant-blow/|title=Analysis: 'Obamagate' suffers another significant, predictable blow|first1=Aaron |last1=Blake|newspaper=Washington Post}} (According to news reports, a belief that Flynn may have violated the Logan Act – a rarely prosecuted and vague law which constrains individuals from countervailing the existing foreign policy of the United States by way of secretive meetings – that supplied the initial rationale for the FBI to target Flynn.{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/sally-yates-cant-remember-11596839905|title=Opinion: Sally Yates Can't Remember |author=The Editorial Board|date=August 7, 2020|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal}}{{cite web |website=lawandcrime.com |first=Colin |last=Kalmbacher |url=https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/lawyers-peter-strzoks-handwritten-notes-expose-biden-and-comeys-involvement-in-michael-flynn-case/ |date=June 24, 2020 |title=Lawyers: Peter Strzok's Handwritten Notes Expose Biden and Comey's Involvement in Michael Flynn Case}})
=September 2020: Accusations of political motives=
Accusations have been leveled that Senate Republicans used investigations of "Obamagate" to help provide the Donald Trump 2020 presidential campaign with talking points.{{Cite news |date=May 16, 2020 |first=Andrew |last=Desiderio |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/05/16/trump-mitch-mcconnell-obamagate-261781|title=Trump pushes McConnell to embrace 'Obamagate'|website=Politico}}{{cite news |url=https://www.wpr.org/election-looms-wisconsins-ron-johnson-readies-investigation-joe-biden |work=Wisconsin Public Radio |title=As Election Looms, Wisconsin's Ron Johnson Readies Investigation Into Joe Biden |first=Shawn |last=Johnson |date=July 30, 2020 }}
In September, Sen. Ron Johnson, Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, led Republicans on the committee in securing subpoenas to look into Trump's Obamagate claims.{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/16/senate-panel-authorizes-subpoenas-in-republican-probe-targeting-obama-officials-415916|title=Senate panel authorizes subpoenas in Republican probe targeting Obama officials|website=POLITICO|date=September 16, 2020 }} Johnson had received criticism for stating "the more that we expose of the corruption of the transition process between Obama and Trump, the more we expose of the corruption within those agencies, I would think it would certainly help Donald Trump win reelection and certainly be pretty good, I would say, evidence about not voting for Vice President Biden".{{Cite news|date=August 13, 2020|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/08/13/dems-ron-johnson-probe-trump-win-reelection-394987|title=Besieged on all sides, Ron Johnson says his probe 'would certainly' help Trump win reelection|first=Kyle|last=Cheney|website=Politico|access-date=August 15, 2020|archive-date=January 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210130034753/https://www.politico.com/news/2020/08/13/dems-ron-johnson-probe-trump-win-reelection-394987|url-status=dead}}
=October 2020: Trump pushes for arrests=
With the news that the Durham special counsel investigation into potential abuses within the Obama's administration's handling of the FBI's Crossfire Hurricane investigation would not produce a report or indictments before the 2020 presidential election,{{cite web|url=https://www.axios.com/barr-durham-report-election-3c02ec6a-7613-4083-b35c-4844de6da16b.html|title="A nightmare scenario": Barr tells Republicans Durham report won't be ready by election|first=Alayna|last=Treene|website=Axios| date=October 9, 2020 }} President Trump began publicly calling out Attorney General Bill Barr for lack of arrests of major political figures he believes were involved, including his 2020 opponent Joe Biden.{{cite web | url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/10/07/trump-demands-barr-arrest-foes-427389 | title='Where are all of the arrests?': Trump demands Barr lock up his foes | website=Politico | date=October 7, 2020 }}
The Washington Post reported on October 13 that Bash's unmasking inquiry had concluded with no findings of substantive wrongdoing and no public report.{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/barr-unmasking-review-no-charges/2020/10/13/0f63fd2e-0d67-11eb-8074-0e943a91bf08_story.html|title='Unmasking' probe commissioned by Barr concludes without charges or any public report|first1=Matt|last1=Zapotosky|first2=Shane|last2=Harris|via=www.washingtonpost.com}}
On October 25, Trump repeated his allegations in an interview on 60 Minutes, claiming "the biggest scandal was when they spied on my campaign. They spied on my campaign, and they got caught." Host Lesley Stahl challenged the assertion, claiming "there's no real evidence of that. This is 60 Minutes, and we can't put on things we can't verify." Trump disagreed, claiming "they spied on my campaign, and they got caught. And then they went much further than that, and they got caught. And you will see that, Lesley, and you know that, but you just don't want to put it on the air."{{cite web | url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/donald-trump-full-interview-60-minutes-transcript-lesley-stahl-2018-10-14/ | title=President Trump on Christine Blasey Ford, his relationships with Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un and more | website=CBS News | date=October 15, 2018 }} The dispute was part of a contentious interview that ended with Trump walking out.{{cite web | url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/oct/26/cbs-releases-footage-trump-walking-out-60-minutes-interview | title=CBS releases footage of Trump walking out of 60 Minutes interview | website=TheGuardian.com | date=October 26, 2020 }}