U.S. Intelligence Predicted FBI’s Role in Trump-Russia Narrative with Disturbing Precision

U.S. Intelligence Predicted FBI’s Role in Trump-Russia Narrative with Disturbing Precision

EXCLUSIVE: U.S. intelligence reports from credible foreign sources suggested that the FBI would play a crucial role in propagating the controversial Trump-Russia collusion narrative long before the bureau initiated its notorious Crossfire Hurricane investigation. This information comes from sources familiar with the intelligence, who spoke with Fox News Digital.

In the coming weeks, CIA Director John Ratcliffe is set to declassify critical intelligence pertaining to the origins of the Trump-Russia probe. This information will include a classified annex relating to former Special Counsel John Durham’s investigation.

As reported by reliable insiders, the classified annex’s content reveals that, although the precise meaning of the intelligence collection was unclear at first, it accurately predicted the FBI’s actions with alarming specificity.

One anonymous source indicated that the upcoming release of the classified annex will bolster claims of a coordinated effort within the U.S. government to aid the Clinton campaign in stirring up controversy by connecting Trump to Russia. They noted, “Mere days after this intelligence was collected, the FBI launched Crossfire Hurricane.” This source added, “It’s difficult to understand how individuals like Brennan, Clapper, and Comey will explain this away. Perhaps, they lack cogent justifications.”

Connections Unveiled

In 2020, Fox News Digital reported that former CIA Director John Brennan briefed then-President Barack Obama and officials from his administration in the summer of 2016 about intelligence suggesting that the Clinton campaign was devising a plan to link Trump to Russia. Ratcliffe, in his role as director of national intelligence, declassified Brennan’s handwritten notes regarding that meeting, which became public in October 2020.

During that meeting, which occurred on July 28, 2016, Brennan informed Obama about a plan devised by one of Clinton’s foreign policy advisors. The advisor aimed to vilify Donald Trump by alleging that the Russian security service was interfering in the election.

Notable figures including Comey, then-Vice President Joe Biden, former Attorney General Loretta Lynch, and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper were present during this significant briefing. Following their discussion, the CIA formally relayed this information through a Counterintelligence Operational Lead (CIOL) to Comey and then-Deputy Assistant Director of Counterintelligence Peter Strzok, marking the beginning of the Crossfire Hurricane operation.

Critical Information Progresses

The CIOL document, obtained exclusively by Fox News Digital in October 2020, indicated that the information was exclusively for the FBI’s background investigative purposes. It mentioned clear examples of intelligence collected by the Crossfire Hurricane fusion cell, which included details about Hillary Clinton approving a plan to mislead voters regarding Trump and Russian hackers.

On July 31, 2016, the FBI officially opened a counterintelligence investigation focused on whether Trump and his campaign associates colluded with Russian operatives to skew the 2016 election in their favor. This investigation, referred to as Crossfire Hurricane, has drawn significant scrutiny in the years since.

The Declassification Process

Recently, the source revealed that the declassification and release of the classified annex are taking place in careful coordination among various officials. Key players include Ratcliffe, FBI Director Kash Patel, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and acting National Security Agency Director William Hartman. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley will supervise the public release of the document.

Additionally, it has been reported that both the CIA and NSA have approved the declassification of sensitive intelligence that underlies the annex’s conclusions. This development signals a possible shift in how the intelligence community uses information regarding the intertwined investigations into Trump and Russia.

Previous Investigations under Scrutiny

While serving as director of National Intelligence, Ratcliffe provided information to Durham, which encompassed a vast collection of over 1,000 documents. A former senior Trump official disclosed that Ratcliffe supported public release of this intelligence previously. However, Durham opted against it, citing potential negative effects on his ongoing investigation, which had not yet reached a conclusion regarding possible prosecutions.

The official noted, “Durham expressed his desire to preserve the integrity of his investigation and planned to release an interim report. Nevertheless, he feared that accusations of politicization would arise, leading him to retract. Now, fortunately, the real politicization is surfacing.”

Lasting Implications of the Investigations

Former Special Counsel Robert Mueller was tasked with taking over the original FBI investigation into Crossfire Hurricane. After nearly two years of thorough inquiries, Mueller concluded in March 2019 that there was no substantial evidence of criminal conspiracy or collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian officials during the 2016 election.

In the wake of Mueller’s findings, John Durham was appointed as special counsel to investigate the origins of the Crossfire Hurricane investigation. His report indicated that the FBI “failed to act” on explicit warnings, suggesting that the bureau became a target of a politically motivated effort led by Clinton to manipulate the law enforcement process during the 2016 election.

Durham’s findings pointed to significant deficiencies in the FBI’s investigative approach. He stated that had the FBI commenced its inquiry as an assessment rather than a formal investigation and considered the intelligence surrounding Clinton’s plan, it likely would have viewed the information with greater scrutiny.

This summary calls into question the methods and motivations behind the FBI’s actions during a critical time in American politics. As the intelligence community grapples with these findings, the implications for political accountability and future investigations could be profound.

A New Chapter Ahead

During a recent television interview, Ratcliffe commented on the anticipated declassification and release of the classified annex linked to the Durham report. He indicated that this document would summarize essential aspects of Durham’s findings, particularly emphasizing the role of the FBI in amplifying false narratives about Trump. Ratcliffe stated, “What the intelligence reveals is that part of this was a Hillary Clinton plan, but part of it involved the FBI’s efforts to magnify the misleading Steele dossier allegations, further complicating the truth about what was unfolding.”

The imminent release of the classified annex follows disclosures by Ratcliffe and Gabbard that Obama administration officials had seemingly manufactured intelligence to advance the unfounded narrative of Russian interference in the 2016 election.

In light of these developments, FBI Director Kash Patel has initiated criminal investigations targeting Brennan and Comey, while Gabbard has submitted criminal referrals concerning other Obama-era officials. How these actions unfold will likely shape public trust in government institutions and ongoing perceptions surrounding the Trump-Russia saga.