Declassified Documents: Brennan, Clapper, Obama & Russia Russia Russia w/NYT reporter Julian Barnes

Daniel Davis Deep Dive Merch: Etsy store

This discussion addresses the serious allegation made by Tulsi Gabbard (and echoed by others) that intelligence officials, particularly under the Obama administration, engaged in a political conspiracy — even a "coup" — to undermine Donald Trump.

Key takeaways:

Former CIA Director John Brennan has been criticized by Republicans for his vocal opposition to Trump, but there is no evidence in any official reports — including documents released by John Ratcliffe, DNI Gabbard, the 2017 House report, or the bipartisan Senate report — that intelligence was manipulated or that President Obama interfered in assessments.

The guest emphasizes that no "smoking gun" has been produced to show anyone in the Obama administration pressured intelligence agencies or altered conclusions.

The term “coup” is questioned. The journalist points out that a coup implies an effort to remove someone from power, but so far, no clear evidence or allegation demonstrates how any actions amounted to an actual effort to depose Trump while in office.

The use of the word “coup” may be legally strategic, possibly to suggest ongoing misconduct that could bypass statutes of limitations on older events — a move that might align with Trump’s recent public statements.

Bottom line: While claims of bias and political motivation exist, no verifiable evidence has emerged to support the idea that U.S. intelligence was manipulated or that a literal coup was underway to remove President Trump.