WASHINGTON, D.C. – Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced Friday that newly declassified records point to what she describes as a deliberate effort by former President Barack Obama and key members of his administration to undermine President Donald Trump’s 2016 election victory and presidency.
According to Gabbard, internal communications within the Intelligence Community (IC) before and after the November 2016 election showed no clear indication that foreign cyber interference had altered the outcome of the U.S. presidential election. She noted that an early December 2016 briefing prepared for then-DNI James Clapper asserted that foreign adversaries had not used cyberattacks to change the election results.
However, just two days later, senior Obama administration officials convened at the White House to discuss Russian activities. Attendees included Clapper, CIA Director John Brennan, National Security Advisor Susan Rice, Secretary of State John Kerry, Attorney General Loretta Lynch, and others. Following this meeting, Gabbard claims, Clapper’s office instructed agencies to create a revised assessment – at the president’s direction – focusing on Russian tools and tactics used to influence the election.
This new Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA), published on January 6, 2017, contradicted prior internal findings. According to Gabbard, the revised ICA was influenced by sources that were later discredited, such as the Steele Dossier, and lacked a solid intelligence foundation. She asserts that the assessment became the basis for wide-reaching actions, including media narratives, the Mueller investigation, two impeachment proceedings, and a prolonged period of political instability.
Calling the developments a “treasonous conspiracy,” Gabbard said, “The information we are releasing today clearly shows there was an effort at the highest levels of government to subvert the will of the American people.” She emphasized that the issue should be of concern to all Americans, regardless of party affiliation, and called for full legal accountability.
Gabbard has submitted all documents related to the matter to the Department of Justice and has pledged to continue providing public updates via social media platforms X (@DNIGabbard) and Truth Social (@TulsiGabbard). The full set of records and a summary memo are now available at DNI.gov.
