President Donald Trump has reportedly relocated the portrait of his predecessor, Barack Obama, to a less visible area within the White House, as reported by CNN.
The portrait now resides at the top of the Grand Staircase, a section of the White House that is generally off-limits to the public. This move places Obama's portrait alongside those of former Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush.
This marks the second relocation of Obama's portrait under Trump's administration, following an earlier move in April, which replaced it with a photograph capturing the immediate aftermath of the assassination attempt on Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July 2024.
According to the Daily Caller, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has released documents and a memo on July 18, which she claims provide evidence that Obama's national security team "manufactured and politicized intelligence." Gabbard described this as part of a "years-long coup" against Trump following his victory over Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election.
During a White House press briefing on July 23, Gabbard announced that she had referred Obama to the Justice Department for potential criminal charges related to the "Russiagate" hoax, asserting that Obama orchestrated "the manufacturing" of the assessment that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to benefit Trump.
The controversy surrounding the origins of the FBI's investigation into Trump's 2016 campaign and alleged Russian collusion has been a focal point of conservative criticism. Special Counsel John Durham's report, released in May 2023, concluded that the FBI "did not and could not corroborate" the allegations stemming from the Steele Dossier. This dossier, now discredited, was instrumental in obtaining warrants to surveil Trump associates, including Carter Page. FBI analyst Brian Auten's testimony during an October 2022 trial revealed that the FBI had offered former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele $1 million to substantiate the dossier's claims, a task Steele never accomplished.
In a related development, CIA Director John Ratcliffe referred former CIA Director John Brennan and former FBI Director James Comey to the FBI in July, prompting a criminal investigation into their alleged false statements to Congress. Brennan, appearing on MSNBC's "Deadline: White House," denied any wrongdoing, asserting to host Nicolle Wallace that the CIA "stayed true" and did not attempt to influence the 2016 election during Obama's tenure.
The ongoing scrutiny of the Obama administration's actions during the 2016 election cycle continues to fuel debate over the integrity of intelligence operations and the politicization of national security. As investigations unfold, questions remain about the accountability of those involved and the implications for future electoral processes.
The relocation of Obama's portrait within the White House serves as a symbolic gesture, reflecting the enduring tensions between the current and previous administrations.
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