Democrats are urging former President Barack Obama to remain above the political fray as Trump allies release documents alleging his administration tried to rig the 2016 election. According to WJBF, Democratic strategists say any direct confrontation with Trump would only serve to amplify the former president’s narrative.

The push for Obama’s restraint comes as Republicans remain internally divided over the unreleased Epstein files, while Democrats continue to press that issue. Democratic insiders say appearances like Tulsi Gabbard’s recent White House briefing are designed to mislead the public and divert attention from more damaging topics for Trump.

“Trying to counter-message Donald Trump is like trying to follow a drunk driver home,” said one strategist. “The only way is to just survive.” Others praised Obama’s minimal response to Trump’s treason accusations, suggesting silence is the smarter political strategy. “Let Trump punch himself in the face,” added Democratic strategist Eddie Vale.

However, Obama did break his silence with a rare statement this week, calling the claims “outrageous” and “a weak attempt at distraction.” He defended the findings of Russian interference in 2016, citing the bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee’s 2020 report — chaired at the time by Marco Rubio, now Trump’s Secretary of State.

Democrats applauded the statement’s calm tone and subtle jab at Rubio but remain focused on keeping the spotlight on Trump’s unfulfilled promise to release Epstein-related documents. “Epstein is the kryptonite to Trump’s superpower of distraction,” Vale said, noting that even Trump’s base is starting to demand accountability.