A Dark Parallel to Lincoln’s Assassination
In 1865, Abraham Lincoln was murdered not by a lone actor, but by a coordinated conspiracy. John Wilkes Booth and his band of plotters aimed to kill not just the president but the entire leadership of the Union government. They believed by eliminating Lincoln, Seward, and Johnson, they could seize control of the nation in its most vulnerable hour.
That was a coup attempt.
Fast-forward to the 21st century, and the tools have changed. Pistols and daggers have been replaced with false dossiers, fraudulent warrants, manufactured evidence, biased prosecutors, and weaponized courts. But the goal has not changed: the overthrow of the United States government by removing a sitting president and nullifying the will of the American people.
The target: Donald J. Trump.
The Conspirators: A Cast of Traitors
Below is the roster of names—leaders, agents, judges, prosecutors, and operatives—who played their role in what amounts to a modern coup d’état.
Barack Obama
Presided over the intelligence apparatus during 2016, greenlighting surveillance against Trump’s campaign.
“The buck stopped at Obama’s desk. He oversaw the weaponization of intelligence against a political opponent.”
Joe Biden
Participated in the Jan. 5, 2017 Oval Office meeting and suggested the Logan Act be used to entrap General Michael Flynn.
“Biden was not a bystander—he was a participant in the conspiracy.”
Hillary Clinton
Funded the Steele Dossier through her campaign, planting the seed of the Trump–Russia hoax.
“Without Clinton’s dossier, there is no coup. She lit the fuse.”
Adam Schiff
As House Intelligence Committee chair, he became the leading public face of the Trump–Russia allegations—repeatedly claiming he had seen “more than circumstantial evidence” of collusion. The Mueller report later said it did not establish a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia.
In June 2023, the House formally censured Schiff for “misleading the American public” in connection with the probe.
“Schiff turned the Intelligence Committee into a megaphone for a narrative that collapsed under Mueller’s ‘no conspiracy’ finding.”
James Clapper
As DNI, misled Congress and fed leaks to the press to sustain the Russia narrative.
“Clapper’s lies weren’t mistakes—they were weapons.”
John Brennan
CIA Director who drove the collusion story deep into the intelligence community.
“Brennan transformed the CIA into a partisan hit squad.”
Susan Rice
National Security Advisor who signed off on “unmasking” requests of Trump officials.
“Rice turned national security into a tool of political warfare.”
Samantha Power
U.N. Ambassador who unmasked Trump associates at an unprecedented scale.
“Power’s fingerprints are on industrial-scale spying.”
Denis McDonough
Obama’s Chief of Staff, present in the inner circle of White House coordination.
“McDonough wasn’t watching from the sidelines—he was orchestrating.”
James Comey
FBI Director who signed fraudulent FISA warrants based on the Steele Dossier.
“Comey betrayed his oath and became a conspirator against his own president.”
Andrew McCabe
Deputy FBI Director who pressed forward with Crossfire Hurricane.
“McCabe’s determination wasn’t about justice—it was about sabotage.”
Sally Yates
Authorized surveillance and pursued Michael Flynn relentlessly.
“Yates wielded the law as a sword for conspiracy.”
Rod Rosenstein
Appointed Robert Mueller as Special Counsel, opening years of lawfare.
“Rosenstein’s signature birthed the coup in plain sight.”
Dana Boente
Approved FISA renewals to extend illegal spying.
“Boente kept the fraud alive with every pen stroke.”
Peter Strzok
FBI agent whose “insurance policy” texts revealed the conspiracy’s intent.
“Strzok’s hatred of Trump wasn’t private—it was operational.”
Lisa Page
FBI lawyer whose bias shaped investigations.
“Page was not just texting—she was conspiring.”
Kevin Clinesmith
FBI lawyer convicted for falsifying evidence.
“Clinesmith committed fraud to prop up the coup.”
William (Bill) Priestap
Oversaw the FBI’s Crossfire Hurricane investigation.
“Priestap signed off on treason.”
James A. Baker
General Counsel who gave legal cover to fraudulent warrants.
“Baker was the lawyer who dressed the coup in legal clothes.”
Bruce Ohr
Acted as Steele’s backchannel into the FBI.
“Ohr funneled lies straight into the system.”
Nellie Ohr
Fusion GPS contractor who supplied opposition research.
“Nellie disguised political sabotage as research.”
Christopher Steele
Ex-MI6 spy, author of the discredited dossier.
“Steele colluded with Americans to frame a president.”
Igor Danchenko
Primary Steele source, indicted for lying to the FBI.
“Danchenko fabricated the very lies the coup relied upon.”
Michael Sussmann
Clinton lawyer, indicted for lying about his Alfa Bank story.
“Sussmann was the courier of conspiracy.”
Marc Elias
Clinton attorney who coordinated payments to Fusion GPS.
“Elias was the financial architect of the hoax.”
Glenn Simpson
Fusion GPS co-founder, oversaw Steele’s work.
“Simpson turned opposition research into a coup plot.”
Peter Fritsch
Fusion GPS co-founder, spread falsehoods.
“Fritsch weaponized propaganda for power.”
Rodney Joffe
Fabricated internet data trails against Trump.
“Joffe engineered fake evidence to frame the President.”
Stefan Halper
FBI informant who spied on Trump campaign staff.
“Halper was the spy who lurked in the shadows of the coup.”
Merrick Garland
Biden’s Attorney General, directing prosecutions of Trump.
“Garland turned DOJ into the coup’s enforcement arm.”
Jack Smith
Special Counsel bringing federal indictments.
“Smith is the hatchet man of the conspiracy.”
Alvin Bragg
Manhattan DA who criminalized Trump.
“Bragg bent state law into a weapon.”
Letitia James
NY AG who launched financial warfare against Trump’s family business.
“James tried to bankrupt Trump into submission.”
Fani Willis
Fulton County DA who indicted Trump under RICO laws.
“Willis criminalized dissent itself.”
Judge Juan M. Merchan
Presided over Trump’s criminal trial.
“Merchan wore robes but played politics.”
Justice Arthur F. Engoron
Handed down crushing civil penalties.
“Engoron’s gavel struck like a partisan sword.”
Judge Tanya S. Chutkan
D.C. judge handling Trump’s Jan. 6 case.
“Chutkan’s courtroom is the judicial battlefield of the coup.”
A Coup by Any Other Name
This was not oversight. This was not normal politics. This was not even mere corruption.
This was treason—a conspiracy to overthrow the duly elected President of the United States, using every lever of power available.
“They spied. They lied. They fabricated. They prosecuted. They colluded.
And they did it to overthrow a sitting president.”
The Coup Timeline (2016–2025)
2016 – Clinton campaign funds Fusion GPS, commissioning Christopher Steele to compile a dossier of fabricated Trump–Russia “collusion.”
2016 Summer – FBI opens Crossfire Hurricane investigation against Trump campaign officials, based heavily on Steele’s discredited work.
2016 Fall – FISA warrant issued against Carter Page, signed by Comey, based on the dossier.
Jan. 5, 2017 – Oval Office meeting: Obama, Biden, Rice, and Comey discuss targeting Flynn and incoming Trump administration.
2017–2019 – Mueller investigation launched by Rosenstein; years of headlines fueled by false Russia narrative.
2019 – DOJ IG report reveals significant misconduct in FISA process; Clinesmith later convicted.
2020 – Alfa Bank allegations collapse; evidence shows they were fabricated.
2021–2023 – Local prosecutors Bragg, James, and Willis bring criminal and civil cases against Trump.
2023–2024 – Jack Smith appointed Special Counsel; Garland’s DOJ pursues multiple federal indictments.
2025 – Disclosures by Tulsi Gabbard (DNI) and Kash Patel (FBI) reveal hidden files, confirming widespread abuse of power against Trump.
The Verdict of History
The Lincoln conspirators were hanged as traitors. Their names are recorded forever as enemies of the Republic.
The modern coup conspirators—Obama, Biden, Clinton, Brennan, Comey, Garland, Smith, Bragg, Willis, Chutkan, and all the rest—may still hold power, but history will judge them the same way.
This was a coup. This was a conspiracy. This was treason.
And it was carried out in plain sight because they all believed that Americans are STUPID…
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The Coup Against Trump: A Treasonous Conspiracy to Overthrow the United States
Michael KerriganAugust 17, 2025
I take great offense in this Opinion piece by Michael Kerrigan. I am further offended that Catholic OnLine would publish such nonsense and hate. This piece is maga conspiracy in the highest order.
This is not what Catholicism is. This is opposite of what Christ taught us.
Mr. Kasper is offended by the “hate”. No interest in understanding the allegations or why the Church is obligated to call attention to perceived evil just as it calls out or should call out fascism or communism or any other dictatorship. Just calls the whole case bogus with one word, MAGA. Humans, including Catholics are all sinners who will lie and do evil . To paraphrase scripture, we are told to look at our own hate and sin and then investigate and identify the sins of others. The article is just a summary of who did what, and requires us to start looking at the facts and circumstances of what happened.