Collection

Donald Trump: 'Obama Founded ISIS'

Donald Trump has publicly criticized Barack Obama since he emerged as a presidential candidate in the 2008 election.

by Joey Esposito, Aug. 11, 2016


Barack Obama and Donald Trump, both wearing suits, sit next to each other. Obama appears to be laughing at something Trump said.

Image courtesy of Roberto Schmidt/AFP, accessed via Getty Images


Ever since Barack Obama emerged as the Democratic candidate for president in 2008, ultimately winning back-to-back elections, then-reality TV show host and current U.S. President Donald Trump has been critical of him.

Trump's public embrace of "birtherism" fueled rumors that Obama was not born in the United States. The false claims gained enough steam that Obama publicly released his birth certificate proving he was born in Hawaii. 

Other allegations Trump hurled at his predecessor included a series of tweets accusing Obama of tapping the phone lines in Trump Tower, complaints that Obama took too much time off to golf and the repeated claim that Obama would start a war with Iran just to get elected (or for other reasons). 

We dug through the Snopes archives to collect 10 of the most popular claims related to Trump's comments about Obama over the years. 


By Joey Esposito

Joey Esposito has written for a variety of entertainment publications. He's into music, video games ... and birds.

Did Trump once say Obama would start war with Iran due to his inability to negotiate?

Feb. 20, 2026

In a years-old video that resurfaced online in early 2026 amid increasing U.S. tensions with Ira ...

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A white man sitting in a chair smiles as a Black man appears to be arrested by two other men wearing dark blue suits.

Trump posted AI-generated video of Obama getting arrested in Oval Office

July 21, 2025

The U.S. president shared the clip on Truth Social, his social media platform.

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Rewind: Did Trump claim in 2011 that Obama would start war with Iran to get elected?

June 24, 2025

A screenshot of the tweet gained popularity in June 2025 as President Trump considered military ...

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trump

Did Trump Blame Obama for 'Bad' COVID-19 Tests?

May 1, 2020

It wasn't the first time the U.S. president suggested his predecessor was somehow responsible fo ...

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Yes, Trump rebuked Obama in 2012 for 'constantly issuing executive orders'

Feb. 11, 2025

By mid-February 2025, Trump had signed 279 executive orders (220 in first term, 59 in second), s ...

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trump ebola obama tweet

Did Trump Call for Obama to Resign After Ebola Doctor Returned to U.S.?

May 15, 2020

"We all lose when we allow irrational fear, fueled in part by prime-time ratings and political e ...

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Iran's Azadi Tower (Freedom Tower) with Iranian flags, Tehran.

Did Trump Tweet Multiple Predictions That Obama Would Attack Iran?

July 2, 2019

Failed prognostications don't fade away -- they gain immortality in the digital age.

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Trump Accuses Obama of Tapping His Trump Tower Phones Before the Election

March 4, 2017

The President tweeted that he "Just found out that Obama had my 'wires tapped' in Trump Tower ju ...

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Did Trump Golf Six Times After Complaining About Obama's Golfing Habits?

Feb. 23, 2017

Images assert that President Trump went golfing six times during his first month in office despi ...

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Donald Trump

Donald Trump: 'Obama Founded ISIS'

Aug. 11, 2016

In a campaign speech in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Donald Trump called President Obama the 'founde ...

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