Washington, July 22 -- Former US President Barack Obama has denied allegations by the Trump administration that he manipulated intelligence related to Russian interference in the 2016 election, calling the claims "bizarre" and "a weak attempt at distraction," The Hill reported.

"These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction," Patrick Rodenbush, a spokesperson for Obama, said in a statement sent to NewsNation, The Hill's sister company.

"Nothing in the document issued last week undercuts the widely accepted conclusion that Russia worked to influence the 2016 presidential election but did not successfully manipulate any votes. These findings were affirmed in a 2020 report by the bipartisan Senate Intelligence ...