A treasure trove of newly declassified documents from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the CIA, and the Department of Justice inspector general has been making waves. These documents shed light on how high-ranking officials in the Obama administration pushed forward the discredited Trump-Russia investigation during the 2016 election. Meanwhile, they chose not to take any action against Hillary Clinton, concerned about how it might look politically.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard recently commented on these revelations, anticipating that the Justice Department might consider taking legal action against former President Barack Obama and his administration. She stated, “There is irrefutable evidence that details how President Barack Obama and his national security team directed the creation of an intelligence community assessment that they knew was false.” This has sparked a significant debate about accountability.
When faced with questions about legal repercussions, Gabbard deferred to Attorney General Pam Bondi, hinting at possible future legal actions. Among the declassified records is a report from the 2020 House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI). This report, which was previously classified, highlights the different standards applied to the Trump and Clinton campaigns during the 2016 election cycle.
Hillary Clinton’s campaign received what some federal officials described as “deference,” while the Trump campaign faced intense scrutiny based on unverified claims. These claims were swiftly pushed into public and legal domains, creating a media storm. HPSCI Chairman Rick Crawford called the so-called “Russia hoax” one of the most troublesome events in U.S. history.
The declassified materials echo findings from Special Counsel John Durham’s 2023 report. This report documented how senior officials pushed unfounded allegations linking the Trump campaign to Russia. The timeline of events, compiled by the Washington Examiner, spans from May 2016 through April 2019, drawing from various government records.
A significant moment in this timeline was a May 2016 conversation between Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos and Australian diplomats. This conversation was later used to justify the opening of the FBI’s Crossfire Hurricane investigation on July 31, 2016. Hillary Clinton’s approval of a campaign proposal to vilify Trump by alleging interference by Russian security services was another key event.
CIA Director John Brennan briefed Obama and other officials on Clinton’s plan by early August 2016. FBI officials, including Peter Strzok, later exchanged messages revealing intentions to prevent Trump’s election, with Strzok famously texting, “We’ll stop it.” The timeline further documents the use of the unverified Steele dossier in FISA applications to surveil Trump campaign aide Carter Page.
The dossier, funded by the Clinton campaign, was included in surveillance applications despite lacking corroboration. Declassified records also reveal internal debates within U.S. intelligence agencies about Russia’s intent in 2016. Some FBI emails expressed concern about overstating Russia’s motives.
Obama ordered the creation of a new intelligence community assessment (ICA) in December 2016, leading to disputes within the CIA and FBI. CIA officials warned against including the Steele dossier, but Brennan insisted on its inclusion. This was supported by internal emails and later findings.
Congressional investigators discovered that Brennan’s analysts inserted fragments from unverified reports into the ICA. These fragments supported the claim that Putin wanted to help Trump win, while excluding intelligence suggesting Moscow saw Trump as a potential challenge. The ICA, released in January 2017, asserted that Putin favored Trump.
CNN later reported that Trump had been briefed on the dossier, and BuzzFeed published the dossier in full. The timeline concludes with events into 2017, including interviews with Igor Danchenko, who admitted the dossier’s claims were based on casual gossip. Despite this, the FBI continued using the dossier in FISA applications.
In June 2017, FBI attorney Kevin Clinesmith altered a CIA email to falsely state that Carter Page was “not a source.” This omission ignored Page’s past cooperation with the CIA. Clinesmith later pleaded guilty to doctoring the email but received no prison time.
The Mueller investigation, initiated in May 2017, formally concluded in April 2019. The Mueller report found no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. The unfolding of these events continues to provoke discussions about the integrity of the U.S. intelligence community and the political landscape.
