WASHINGTON, July 22. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump said that the Department of Justice should look into former leader Barack Obama for manipulating intelligence data on the 2016 American presidential election and Russia’s alleged meddling in it.

During a conversation with reporters at a meeting with his Philippine counterpart Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the White House, Trump was asked who the Justice Department should target as part of the investigation into Russia's alleged interference in the 2016 American elections.

"Based on what I read, it would be President Obama. He started it, and Biden was there with him. It was not lots of people, but the leader of the gang was President Barack Hussein Obama," Trump said.

In recent days, Trump has repeatedly referred to a July 18 report prepared by the office of the Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. It said that the administration of Democrat Obama, after the victory of Republican Trump in the 2016 presidential election, fabricated intelligence data allegedly indicating Russian interference in the electoral process in an effort to keep Trump out of office. Gabbard said that a few months before the election, US intelligence was unanimous: Russia had neither the intention nor the opportunity to interfere in the American elections. However, in December 2016 (after Trump's victory), the Obama administration ordered the preparation of a new report contradicting previous data. Gabbard explained that the key intelligence finding that Russia had no influence on the election results had been seized and classified.

Gabbard said that all those involved in the fabrication will be identified and brought to justice.

In 2016, US intelligence agencies accused Russia of interfering in the American presidential election. Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller investigated these alleged attempts. In 2019, the Department of Justice released its final report, in which the special prosecutor acknowledged he could not find any evidence of collusion between Trump and Russia. Trump has repeatedly denied suspicions of any improper contacts with Russian officials. Moscow also called the allegations about its attempts to influence the course of the US elections groundless.