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Trump Orders Release of Secret Report on Russian Interference
In a surprising move that sparked division within U.S. intelligence and security circles, former President Donald Trump ordered the declassification of a secret intelligence report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. According to The Washington Post, the decision was seen as an attempt to refute long-standing allegations that his campaign had coordinated with Moscow.
The report, prepared by the House Intelligence Committee in 2017, spans 46 pages and was approved for release on July 23 by then-Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, with direct approval from Trump himself.
Despite strong objections from the CIA and other national security agencies—who warned that the document contained highly sensitive details about human sources and covert surveillance methods—Trump insisted on publishing it unredacted.
Intelligence officials described the report as "the most sensitive" document of Trump’s presidency, as it includes direct references to spies who reported on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s plans to support Trump over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
In 2017, U.S. intelligence agencies concluded that Moscow had interfered in the election in Trump’s favor. These findings were later confirmed by independent reviews, including a bipartisan investigation by the Senate Intelligence Committee. However, the Trump administration consistently downplayed these conclusions, calling them a “coordinated hoax” by the Obama administration.
Simultaneously, the Department of Justice launched a criminal investigation into several former officials, and a grand jury began hearing evidence. The decision to declassify the report raised alarm among intelligence professionals. Democratic Senator Mark Warner warned that the “irresponsible” release could endanger U.S. sources and undermine allies’ trust in intelligence cooperation.
Larry Pfeiffer, a former CIA and White House official, noted that “the document is so lightly redacted that identifying sources and methods is quite possible.” According to officials familiar with the publication process, several versions of the report were prepared with varying levels of redaction, but Gabbard exercised her authority to choose the version to be released—without requiring approval from other intelligence agencies.
The publication followed earlier calls by current House Intelligence Committee Chairman, Republican Representative Rick Crawford, who had urged the CIA to return the report to Congress and make it public. Analysts believe that Trump’s move is a strategic attempt to reshape the narrative surrounding Russian interference—an issue that had long served as a political weapon against him.
