The Director of National Intelligence, Tarshi Gabbard, issued a report on Friday claiming that officials from the Obama administration manipulated intelligence concerning Russian interference in the 2016 election.
In her statement, Gabbard described this as a “unpleasant conspiracy” and indicated that her office has forwarded evidence to the Department of Justice for potential criminal referrals.
“The information we’re releasing today clearly reveals that a conspiracy occurred among senior government officials in 2016,” Gabbard stated. “Their intention was to undermine the will of the American populace and effectively orchestrate a coup.”
Her memo referenced prominent figures, including former National Intelligence Director James Clapper, ex-CIA director John Brennan, and former FBI director James Comey.
For years, President Trump has called for an investigation into Russian actions during the election, frequently deeming the possibility of his campaign colluding with Moscow a “horror.” He often criticized officials such as Brennan and Comey.
In March, Trump authorized the declassification of “all files related to Crossfire Hurricane,” which pertained to the investigation into Russian interference.
The intelligence agency currently under Gabbard’s oversight has consistently found that Russia sought to influence the 2016 election.
This includes a bipartisan Senate investigation over three years, which concluded that Russia actively attempted to undermine Trump’s campaign through a large social media operation.
Gabbard and other documents noted discussions about a lack of evidence for any direct Russian manipulation of voting metrics.
However, this does not contradict the findings of the Intelligence Community or the Senate report, which asserted that there was no evidence ballots were altered or that voting machines were compromised. The Obama administration stated it had found no indication that hackers interfered with the outcomes.
Gabbard’s report comes at a time of tension within the Trump administration regarding Jeffrey Epstein’s case.
“It’s just another day and since Trump seems keen to divert attention, Gabbard is recycling an old narrative about the Obama administration. Our country’s history has been examined thoroughly, much like the warnings about interference during the 2016 elections,” critics remarked.
Democratic Senator Mark Warner, a leading member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, also denounced Gabbard’s assertions.
He remarked that Gabbard appears to overlook extensive research done prior to the 2016 elections that confirmed substantial Russian efforts to disrupt U.S. election infrastructure and that both parties in the committee unanimously agreed on this.
Additionally, on that same Friday, the Department of Justice moved to reveal some evidence from the Epstein case.
Gabbard’s actions seem to be a reaction not only to Epstein-related developments but also to recent unfounded intelligence concerning Trump’s dealings with Iran.
Her release serves as a reminder that the inquiry into the origins of the Russian investigation remains unresolved nearly ten years on. The memo also discusses Steele’s reports, which contain dubious allegations regarding Trump’s connections with Russia.
Some GOP figures praised Gabbard’s report. Speaker Mike Johnson called for dismantling the “Deep State,” asserting it was an endeavor by Obama officials to undermine Trump using intelligence as a weapon.
On the other hand, Democrats have accused Gabbard of tailoring her intelligence narrative to fit administration needs.
Warner highlighted Gabbard’s previous request to pardon Edward Snowden, who leaked numerous NSA documents revealing extensive U.S. communications data.
“It’s disheartening that DNI Gabbard, who claimed to seek neutrality in intelligence reporting, continues to politicize her role to support the president’s conspiracy theories,” Warner stated. “It’s quite alarming to hear her label this an ‘unpleasant plot’ while failing to call Snowden a traitor.”
Updated at 6:33pm
