Obama breaks silence on Trump’s ‘outrageous’ call to prosecute him

Office of ex-US president breaks precedent and warns that allegations of attempted ‘coup’ are ‘attempt at distraction’

Barack Obama in Chicago on 5 December 2024. Photograph: Erin Hooley/AP

In a rare and forceful move, Barack Obama has pushed back against Donald Trump’s incendiary demand for his prosecution, fiercely rejecting allegations that he orchestrated a coup after the 2016 election and fabricated intelligence about Russian interference.

Obama’s office, typically r…