A newly declassified CIA memo revealed that top officials within the Obama administration deliberately manipulated intelligence to exaggerate Russia’s purported 2016 election interference. This set the stage for the years‑long Trump‑Russia collusion probe.
The review, commissioned by CIA Director John Ratcliffe in May 2025, reassessed the 2016 Intelligence Community Assessment on Russian interference.
It found then‑CIA Director John Brennan, FBI Director James Comey and DNI James Clapper were “excessively involved” in framing the initial Russia narrative.