A newly declassified memo has revealed that top officials from the Obama era knew back in 2016 that Russia did not significantly impact the U.S. election results.
This memo, released by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, shows that intelligence leaders told then-President Barack Obama directly that Russian efforts to interfere with the election failed to affect any voting systems or election outcomes.
The memo, written in 2016, specifically said that “Russian and criminal actors did not impact recent US election results by conducting malicious cyber activities against election infrastructure.”
While there had been reports of attempted breaches, such as the Illinois voter rolls, the memo made it clear these attempts did not get near the systems used for actual voting.
The memo added that “the targeting of infrastructure not used in casting ballots makes it highly unlikely it would have resulted in altering any state’s official vote.” It also confirmed that criminal activities were not sophisticated or widespread enough to change the results of the election.
This newly revealed information provides major support for former President Donald Trump’s long-standing claim that the Russia collusion story was a false narrative designed to hurt his presidency before it began.
Trump has repeatedly said that the claims of Russian interference and collusion were part of a hoax created by the Hillary Clinton campaign and supported by the Obama administration’s intelligence agencies.
Now that the memo is public, attention is turning to the people who helped push the Russia collusion theory. The FBI is reportedly preparing to possibly open a criminal investigation into former CIA Director John Brennan, former FBI Director James Comey, and others who were involved in launching and maintaining the investigation known as Crossfire Hurricane.
Current CIA Director John Ratcliffe stated that career intelligence officials have accused Brennan of deliberately keeping parts of the investigation hidden from other agencies.
Brennan is also accused of pushing for the inclusion of the Steele dossier, a document that has now been discredited. The Steele dossier made several false claims about Trump and his supposed connections to Russian agents.
Additionally, a 200-page congressional report has been put together following a secret meeting between the Department of Justice and intelligence officials.
These authorities are considering releasing even more documents, including notes from the Crossfire Hurricane investigation and transcripts from the special counsel John Durham’s probe. Durham’s investigation, which concluded in 2023, found that there was no basis for the alleged Trump–Russia connection.
Gabbard’s decision to release this memo is seen as the beginning of a larger effort to bring transparency to the events that led to the Russia collusion investigation.
There is also a growing interest in whether Brennan may have committed perjury when he testified before Congress. Brennan previously denied that the Steele dossier played a role in the intelligence community’s final assessment of Russian interference.
Some officials now believe that Brennan may have lied under oath. While the statute of limitations on perjury might have expired, he could still potentially face charges for conspiracy to commit perjury.
A senior official reportedly stated, “Obama ordered the ICA to set Trump up and knock him off balance before he could even get started. This was an influence operation far more consequential than anything Putin cooked up. Obama and Hillary schemed the op, and the CIA and FBI ran it.”
Comey, the former FBI Director, is also under new scrutiny. He has recently drawn attention for a cryptic post on social media that some people saw as threatening or suggestive. Sources say that earlier this year, the Secret Service paid Comey a visit because of the post.
The declassified memo from 2016 paints a clear picture that many inside the Obama administration did not believe Russian interference had any real effect on the election results.
Yet, the investigation into Trump’s campaign proceeded regardless. This supports Trump’s ongoing claims that the Russia collusion narrative was a politically motivated attack aimed at delegitimizing his presidency before it even started.
The FBI’s Crossfire Hurricane investigation, launched in 2016, was the basis for much of the Trump-Russia collusion allegations. It eventually led to the appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, whose investigation dragged on for years and created a cloud over Trump’s time in office.
Although Mueller’s team charged several individuals with crimes unrelated to collusion, the investigation found no evidence of a conspiracy between Trump’s campaign and Russia.
Despite these findings, the Russia narrative remained in the headlines for much of Trump’s term. Now, with the release of Gabbard’s memo, there is renewed criticism of the Obama administration and its intelligence agencies for allowing the investigation to continue despite evidence that Russia had no significant role in affecting the election.
The current administration’s intelligence leaders, including CIA Director Ratcliffe, have supported releasing more information about what actually happened behind the scenes during the 2016 election.
There is also interest in reviewing Brennan’s actions, especially regarding his alleged suppression of certain details and his push for including the Steele dossier in intelligence assessments.
Trump’s allies are using this moment to call for accountability for those who promoted the Russia collusion story. Some lawmakers are demanding that Brennan, Comey, and others be held responsible if they are found to have acted improperly or dishonestly.
The controversy also reignites debates about political interference in the intelligence community. Critics of the Obama administration argue that the intelligence agencies were weaponized for political purposes, with the goal of weakening Trump before he could assume office. They claim that this is far more dangerous than any foreign attempt to influence U.S. elections.
Gabbard’s role in declassifying the memo shows her commitment to transparency, and it may set a precedent for more disclosures to come. As more documents become public, Americans may finally get a fuller understanding of the decisions and motivations behind the Crossfire Hurricane investigation.
The developments could also have political consequences, especially if criminal investigations are launched against former top officials. The possibility of Brennan or Comey facing legal challenges adds another layer to the ongoing controversy.
For Trump, this disclosure is a form of vindication. He has long argued that he was the victim of a political smear campaign masked as an intelligence investigation. The new memo strengthens his argument and may play a role in shaping public opinion as he continues to speak about his time in office.
As the story develops, the focus will likely remain on the individuals who led and sustained the Russia investigation despite internal doubts about its legitimacy. The coming months may bring further revelations and potentially more declassifications, offering a deeper look into one of the most controversial political investigations in recent American history.
