On Wednesday, January 28, President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to accuse former President Barack Obama of treason. His posts, filled with conspiracy theories and unsupported assertions, were described by critics as a wild posting spree.
Trump used his Truth Social platform to share a video from the previous summer. In it, he alleged that Obama, along with former President Joe Biden, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and former FBI director James Comey, attempted to manipulate elections.
In the video, Trump proclaimed, “Barack Hussein Obama is the ringleader. It’s there, he’s guilty. This was treason, this was every word you can think of.”
Despite these accusations, no evidence supporting Trump’s claims has surfaced. These posts followed two fatal shootings of U.S. citizens by federal agents in Minneapolis in January—Renee Good on January 7 and Alex Pretti on January 24—leading to calls for Trump to help de-escalate national tensions. Instead, Trump instigated a posting spree, sharing memes, conspiracy theories, and untruths.
Among his posts, Trump shared an unfounded claim that China, Iran, and Italy, among others, conspired with Obama to install Biden as a puppet. This continues Trump’s pattern of promoting conspiracy theories about the 2016 and 2020 elections and making baseless allegations about electoral integrity.
On the same day, the FBI served a search warrant at a Georgia election office. This is the same state where Trump, following his 2020 election loss, notoriously pleaded with the Republican secretary of state during a phone call to find enough votes for him to win. This FBI action underscores Trump’s relentless fixation with the 2020 election, despite the debunking of his claims.
During his online spree, Trump also disseminated two false posts claiming Walmart would be closing 250 stores in California due to a $22 minimum wage. Trump coupled these falsehoods with additional criticisms of California and its Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, who may run for president in 2028.
Newsom refuted Trump’s assertions via his press office account, denying the spread of misinformation by the president. This exchange exemplifies the ongoing political friction between Trump and prospective Democratic opponents as the 2028 presidential race begins to take shape.
Trump’s attacks were not limited to Obama. In a late-night post, he targeted Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse who was fatally shot by Border Patrol agents during a confrontation in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 24. Trump suggested that Pretti might have been an insurrectionist in his overnight post.
On February 1, government records obtained by ProPublica identified the two federal agents who shot Pretti as Border Patrol agent Jesus Ochoa, 43, and Customs and Border Protection officer Raymundo Gutierrez, 35, both from South Texas.
Pretti’s attorney asserted the shooting was unwarranted. Critics termed the Trump post as disgraceful, noting that instead of addressing concerns about federal force, the president chose to attack a deceased American citizen in the middle of the night.
On January 30, the U.S. Department of Justice announced it had opened a civil rights investigation into Pretti’s death. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated the FBI would lead the probe alongside the Civil Rights Division, marking a shift from the initial Department of Homeland Security internal review.
This incident in Minneapolis was the second fatal shooting of a citizen by federal agents in January. Earlier in the month, Renee Good, a mother of three and a poet, was shot and killed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. These incidents sparked protests and calls for a national ICE Out strike on January 30, highlighting growing concerns about federal immigration enforcement tactics and the use of deadly force.
The recent violence in Minneapolis has prompted questions about the Trump administration’s approach to immigration enforcement and the rules of engagement for federal agents in US cities. Civil rights advocates have voiced concerns about what they perceive as an increase in force against American citizens during immigration operations.
Both Democrats and some Republicans have criticized this approach, suggesting the president should exhibit more restraint, especially during periods of national tension. Republican Senator Rand Paul publicly challenged the Trump administration’s characterization of Pretti, stating on Newsmax, “If you call this a good shooting, you aren’t watching the video.” Paul criticized officials who described Pretti as an “assassin” and “domestic terrorist,” calling such claims “obviously not true.”
Trump’s use of Truth Social as his primary communication platform underscores the evolving nature of presidential communication in the digital era. Created after Trump was banned from mainstream social media sites following the events of January 6, 2021, Trump has consistently favored his own platform for announcements and sharing his views since returning to office.
Trump’s accusations against Obama represent a significant escalation in rhetoric between the current and former presidents. While political opponents often criticize each other, alleging that a former president committed treason is highly unusual and indicative of the current state of American political discourse.
Legal experts point out that treason, as defined constitutionally, involves aiding enemies of the United States during wartime. Trump’s allegations do not fulfill this standard, and no evidence has been presented to substantiate claims of any criminal wrongdoing by Obama in relation to elections.
Trump’s posts included attacks on various Democratic figures and the promotion of multiple conspiracy theories, which critics see as a diversionary tactic from other administrative issues. The sheer volume and nature of the posts have raised concerns among observers regarding the president’s focus and priorities.
As the 2026 midterm elections draw near and the 2028 presidential race begins to form, Trump’s ongoing focus on past elections and political opponent attacks indicates these themes will continue to be central to his political strategy. The flurry of posts on January 28 provides a glimpse of a potentially contentious political landscape in the coming months and years.
