US President Donald Trump has accused former President Barack Obama of treason, alleging without evidence that Obama led a conspiracy to falsely link Trump to Russian interference and undermine his 2016 presidential campaign. Trump called for Obama to be prosecuted for allegedly spreading false information about the Russia investigation. In response, Obama dismissed the accusations as "ridiculous" and a "weak attempt at distraction," rejecting the claims that he conspired to delegitimize Trump's 2016 election victory. The exchange marks an escalation in the ongoing political conflict surrounding the 2016 election interference probe.