REPORT: Senior Obama Official Threatened Russia Hoax Whistleblower

A close associate of then-Director of National Intelligence (DNI) James Clapper allegedly threatened to withhold a promotion from a senior intelligence officer unless he signed off on the bogus Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) on the extent of Russia’s involvement in the 2016 presidential election.

New documents detail a 2017 conversation between an Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) analyst and an unnamed official who worked closely with then-DNI Clapper, according to a report from The Federalist citing sources familiar with the documents. The ODNI analyst was allegedly told that he needed to “outgrow” his refusal to sign off on assessments he had not personally reviewed in order to receive a promotion.

“You need to trust me on this,” the senior official allegedly told the analyst.

The report comes just days after current DNI Tulsi Gabbard declassified a series of documents outlining how Clapper, along with then-CIA Director John Brennan and then-FBI Director James Comey, signed off on a bogus ICA report claiming that Russian interference in the 2016 election altered the result in favor of President Donald Trump. The report further insinuated that the Kremlin intervened specifically to help Trump, leading to the bogus Russian collusion investigation that largely hampered the president’s first term.

A 46-page intelligence report released by Gabbard’s office details how national security aides sought to hide evidence suggesting that Russians had little or no interference in the results of the 2016 election. Trump and Gabbard have singled out a December 9, 2016, presidential daily briefing meant for Obama, where U.S. intelligence officials concluded that Russia did not play a significant role in the election result.

Despite knowing that Russia did not alter the 2016 election, a fact that was further affirmed by a number of intelligence officials, the bogus claims were included in the ICA.

According to a person familiar with the notes shared with The Federalist, the analyst documented his recollection of the conversation nearly six years later in March of 2023. The delay was due to the fact that the analyst previously attempted to share his concerns with the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community (IC), then later with Special Counsel John Durham, and finally with Senator Mark Warner (D-VA).

All attempts to reach out proved unsuccessful, though the analyst was finally sought as part of an inquiry seeking more information about his claims, which led to the draft summary.

“There is reporting you are not allowed to see,” the supervisor told the analyst, adding that “if you saw it, you would agree” with the ICA. After stating that he agreed “with varying confidence with most of the 2017 ICA’s Key Judgements,” the analyst explained that he “would need to review any reporting myself in order to consider it.”

“You need to TRUST ME on this,” Clapper’s associate shot back, adding that he would “need to demonstrate [his] ability to ‘outgrow’” the decision not to sign off on assessments he had not yet reviewed in order to be considered for a promotion. The analyst refused to budge, however, which prompted his superior to speak in blunt terms.

“I need you to say you agree with these judgements, so that DIA will go along with them,” the superior said, according to the analyst’s summary of the conversation.

The DIA refers to the Defense Intelligence Agency, which falls under the Defense Department. The ODNI was attempting to “to bring DIA on board as an additional IC Agency signing on to the 2017 ICA,” the whistleblower recalled.

The analyst then relayed that the conversation turned to the “DIA’s supposed trust in me, and the necessity of me proving my ‘corporate IC officer’ bona-fides by doing what it took to bring DIA on board.”

Still, the analyst refused to sign off, meaning that the DIA ultimately did not join the CIA, FBI, and National Security Agency (NSA) in signing off on the final versions of the ICA. “I remember this conversation very clearly,” the analyst explained, stressing “it was a difficult situation and I listened, and chose my responses, with care.”

“I was aware that I was defying the [National Intelligence Officer’s] direction to me (to misrepresent my views to DIA) based on a conscious decision to adhere to IC standards, tradecraft, and ethics,” the notes concluded.

The bombshell report comes as the Department of Justice has already opened investigations into Brennan and Comey over their potentially false statements to Congress. While details of the investigation remain scarce as of this report, department sources told Fox News that investigators are probing the possibility of a massive “conspiracy,” which could lead to further, more defined investigations and potential prosecutions.

Officials are reportedly examining whether Brennan perjured himself during congressional testimony when he denied using the Steele dossier as part of the ICA’s compilation, according to one official who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive matters. Although the five-year statute of limitations has passed, officials can potentially charge Brennan with conspiracy to commit perjury.