Former Intelligence Chief Reaffirms Russia Election Interference Narrative

James Clapper, a former Director of National Intelligence, has maintained the assertion that Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. presidential election to aid President Trump, despite concerns from senior intelligence officials, according to newly declassified emails.

Clapper described efforts during the Obama administration to revise an intelligence assessment on Russian election meddling as a “team sport,” which could have compromised the integrity of the process. Tulsi Gabbard, a former DNI and current critic of the Russia-Trump narrative, revealed that Clapper’s emails suggest top officials prioritized a unified story over procedural standards.

The email exchanges, declassified on December 22, 2016, reveal concerns from NSA Director Mike Rogers, who questioned the rapid development of the report and the lack of access to critical intelligence. Rogers emphasized the importance of reviewing sensitive evidence thoroughly before endorsing the findings, which concluded Russian interference was responsible for the DNC hacks.

Photo of James Clapper — Clapper was among key officials tasked with revising the initial assessment that initially found no evidence of Russian hacking of the 2016 election.

Despite internal reservations, the NSA, CIA, and FBI eventually signed off on the revised intelligence report. Rogers expressed concern over the speed of the process and the withholding of crucial evidence from his team, stressing the necessity for absolute confidence before presenting findings to the President.

Clapper responded to Rogers’ concerns by emphasizing the importance of team cohesion and stating that the highly expedited schedule left little room for standard procedures. He insisted that no additional time could be negotiated, framing the report as a collective effort where “we’re stickin’ to” the official narrative.

Gabbard pointed out that Clapper’s admissions confirm her previous claims that the assessment was manipulated at the highest levels to support a predetermined story. She accused top officials of deliberately violating protocols and manufacturing intelligence to fit the desired narrative around Russian election interference.