National Intelligence Director Tarshi Gabbard addressed a White House reporter on Wednesday, right after a discussion emerged regarding documents connected to Russian interference in the 2016 election, as claimed by officials from the Obama administration.
Her appearance in the briefing room seemed somewhat out of the ordinary. The White House was trying to emphasize allegations that her office had gathered information pertaining to former President Obama and his intelligence teams.
Here are five key takeaways from the briefing.
House Report Provides Fresh Feed
Gabbard’s appearance coincided with the release of a previously classified report, originally drafted in 2017 and made public in 2020.
She noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s primary interest in the 2016 election wasn’t so much to favor certain candidates, but more about undermining trust in the U.S. democratic process.
“Interestingly, this report indicates that Putin was actually holding back leaks about Hillary Clinton prior to the election. Instead, he aimed to unleash them to weaken what Moscow thought would be Clinton’s inevitable victory,” Gabbard stated.
The report from the House mentioned that the CIA didn’t follow proper analytical standards and that the assertion regarding Putin acting to aid Trump was based on an “unverified fragment” of a substandard analysis.
Gabbard highlighted that this report reflects poorly on Obama’s administration, given allegations made by former CIA director John Brennan and former FBI director James Comey.
Nonetheless, critics quickly dismissed the report, contrasting it with findings from the bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee released in 2020.
“There haven’t been any changes to previously released documents, and unveiling this so-called report is just another dangerous act by the Director of National Intelligence, who seems to be pleased with Donald Trump,” Gabbard remarked.
Gabbard suggests Obama has been caught up
Obama’s name came up nearly a dozen times during the briefing. Gabbard and other officials hinted that the former President might be involved in efforts to mislead the public.
“We are continuously referring all documents to the Department of Justice and the FBI to look into the potential criminal consequences,” Gabbard mentioned when asked if any information released was linked to criminal activities.
“The evidence we’ve uncovered points directly to President Obama, who led the creation of this assessment. There’s plenty of evidence to support this,” she added.
Trump had previously accused Obama of treason, calling for an unusual level of accountability from the former president.
In a response, Obama’s spokesman, Patrick Rodenbush, described the claims as outrageous and labeled them as desperate attempts to mislead.
The documents released recently do not substantiate the broadly accepted view that Russia sought to influence the 2016 presidential election, although they were confirmed in a report by the bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee back in 2020.
Officials avoid questions about the outcome
Gabbard and White House spokesperson Caroline Leavitt dodged questions regarding what charges, if any, Obama might face, or whether he should be held accountable for his handling of Russian interference.
“I’ll leave the legal matters to the DOJ. I’m not a lawyer,” Gabbard stated when queried whether Obama was guilty of treason. She described his administration’s actions as “anxious conspiracy.”
When asked about why Obama might be charged, given that certain laws had time limitations, she leaned towards the Department of Justice for clarity.
Leavitt reiterated the importance of accountability for those who committed fraud.
In response to NBC News correspondent Kelly O’Donnell, Leavitt pointed out that previous special adviser John Durham didn’t accuse Obama or his top aides, emphasizing that the Supreme Court recognizes broad presidential immunity for actions taken while in office.
“The President made it clear he wanted these documents declassified. He wanted the American people to access the truth, and now he seeks to hold those accountable behind these lies,” Leavitt explained.
“As for what accountability looks like, that’s in the hands of the Justice Department,” she added.
The White House is working on questions about Rubio, Gabbard
Critics of the Trump administration’s claims concerning Russian documents pointed out that Rubio, a staunch Trump ally, was part of the Senate Intelligence Committee that issued a bipartisan report in 2020.
Democrats and detractors raised doubts about Rubio’s earlier support for the conclusions and why he hadn’t previously raised concerns about the administration’s current allegations.
Leavitt mostly sidestepped these inquiries, noting that Rubio had expressed concern regarding Russia’s election interference and the FBI’s response.
CNN’s Kaitlan Collins brought up whether Gabbard’s release of multiple reports on Russian interference, which is often associated with Trump, was also an effort to re-establish her standing after recent public criticism from him.
“The only individuals suggesting that the Director of National Intelligence release evidence to improve his standing with the President are those present here, who constantly try to foster distrust within the President’s Cabinet,” Leavitt contended.
Trump had criticized Gabbard previously, particularly her views on Iran’s nuclear ambitions, but later indicated he disagreed with her assessment.
Questions about politicization and weaponization
During the briefing, Gabbard often reiterated her commitment to eliminating politicization within the intelligence community. Trump administration officials have accused the government of being weaponized against the president in various criminal cases.
However, Gabbard faced multiple inquiries about whether she was adding to politicization by leveling serious accusations against Obama officials and whether her office’s document release mixed up various issues.
“I think this is a genuinely harmful attack on Americans who deserve the truth,” Gabbard responded.
She further criticized Obama, countering any claims that Russia hacked the election or altered the outcome based on attempts to exploit mistrust regarding Russia.
“I believe that Obama’s office and others who criticize the transparency of these documents are harming the American public as they attempt to evade accountability in a monumental scandal,” Gabbard stated.
