A recent wave of headlines has reignited political debate, claiming that newly declassified emails and texts reveal coordination between the Obama administration and Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign to promote the Trump-Russia collusion narrative. The documents were released by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and submitted to the Department of Justice as part of a criminal referral against several Obama-era officials.

According to investigative journalist Paul Sperry, the communications suggest early collaboration between the Clinton campaign, the State Department, the National Security Council, and intelligence agencies beginning in mid-2016. Gabbard argues that these efforts helped manufacture the basis for the now-infamous Russia probe known as Crossfire Hurricane.

However, while the declassified materials confirm intelligence briefings stating Russia did not alter vote tallies or determine the outcome of the election, no direct evidence has been made public proving criminal coordination between Obama and Clinton. The claims remain largely based on interpretation and reporting from partisan sources.

The DOJ has not filed any charges, and mainstream media outlets have urged caution, noting that criminal referrals do not equal guilt. For now, the question of whether a coordinated political effort occurred remains under scrutiny — but far from proven.