Donald Trump has consistently expressed criticism regarding his political adversaries, with his recent comments about Barack Obama following a similar pattern.
In a Fox News interview broadcast on Sunday, October 19, 2025, Trump reiterated allegations against former President Obama, asserting that consequences would follow for what Trump claims was spying on his 2016 presidential campaign. These statements mark an escalation in Trump’s ongoing narrative that officials from the Obama administration engaged in unlawful surveillance activities to thwart his political ambitions.
During a pre-recorded interview with Maria Bartiromo, Trump addressed recent remarks made by Obama concerning threats to democracy. Trump countered by labeling Obama as the true threat, citing what he described as illegal monitoring of his campaign. “He knew it was illegal, but he started the whole thing. And there were a lot of dishonest people, and I suspect they’ll be caught,” Trump stated, further accusing the former president of actions tantamount to treason.
These comments arise amid a renewed focus by Republicans on claims of politically motivated surveillance. Earlier this month, Republican Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley released a document indicating that several Republican senators were investigated during a probe related to the January 6 Capitol riot. The document, dated September 27, 2023, disclosed that Senators Lindsey Graham, Bill Hagerty, Josh Hawley, Dan Sullivan, Tommy Tuberville, Ron Johnson, Cynthia Lummis, and Marsha Blackburn were scrutinized by the FBI, along with Pennsylvania Representative Mike Kelly.
This document emerged from former special counsel Jack Smith’s Arctic Frost investigation, which examined the Capitol riot and election interference claims. It outlines how the FBI utilized phone records to track lawmakers through its cellular analysis survey team. The investigation into the cellular data of these Republicans continued into President Biden’s administration, as indicated by the document’s date.
Furthermore, independent journalist Matt Taibbi testified before Congress on September 30, 2025, about the TSA’s Quiet Skies program, initially designed to identify national security threats post-September 11. Taibbi’s investigation revealed that the program was used to surveil former Democratic congresswoman and current Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, along with three unnamed Republican members of Congress. The Trump administration terminated the program earlier this year, citing an annual taxpayer cost of approximately $200 million without preventing a single terrorist incident, according to Gabbard.
In recent years, Republicans have increasingly highlighted claims of politically motivated surveillance by Democratic administrations. Democrats have consistently denied these allegations as unfounded. This controversy has intensified as Trump’s administration calls for increased transparency regarding surveillance activities during previous administrations.
The interview serves as another example of Trump making broad accusations against political opponents without offering detailed evidence. His comments primarily addressed the alleged surveillance activities during the 2016 campaign, which Trump has consistently characterized as illegal and unconstitutional actions by Obama administration officials.
Trump’s allegations continue a longstanding grievance concerning the treatment of his 2016 campaign and subsequent presidency. Throughout his tenure, Trump has asserted that his campaign and administration faced scrutiny and investigation due to political motivations rather than legitimate law enforcement concerns.
The release of the Grassley document has provided Trump and his supporters with new material to support their claims of governmental overreach. The revelation that multiple Republican lawmakers were investigated during the January 6 probe has heightened concerns among conservatives regarding the scope and focus of federal investigative actions. The use of cellular analysis to monitor the movements of elected officials has sparked particular concerns about privacy and the appropriate boundaries of law enforcement surveillance powers.
