DHS watchdog says Trump’s agency appears to have altered report on Russian interference in 2020 election partially due to politics

The April 26 Homeland Safety inspector general's assessment offers a damning take a look at the way in which DHS' Office of Intelligence and Analysis handled intelligence related to Russia's efforts to intervene within the US, stating the division had deviated from its commonplace procedures in modifying assessments related to Moscow's focusing on of the 2020 presidential election.

The conclusion that Trump's appointee appeared to have tried to downplay Russian meddling in a key intelligence report is the newest example of how his aides managed his aversion to any information about how Russia may be serving to his election prospects. In keeping with special counsel Robert Mueller's report, Trump officers tried to avoid the topic during conferences and at hearings, as a result of he would become enraged and upset when Russian meddling got here up.

The US intelligence community announced during the 2020 campaign that Russia was actively meddling in the election to weaken then-candidate Joe Biden. At the time, Trump downplayed those findings and promoted false claims about Biden that aligned with Russia's disinformation efforts. The IG report addresses past suspicions that Trump appointees distorted some intelligence experiences to foster a more Trump-friendly narrative.

"We determined that the Appearing Secretary's involvement led to the uncommon incidence of I&A ceasing dissemination of a product after it had already been accepted by the mission manager and circulated by way of advanced notification," the report states.

"The delays and deviation from I&A's standard process and necessities put I&A liable to making a notion of politicization. This conclusion is supported by I&A's own tradecraft assessment, which decided that the product could be considered as politicized," it continues.

The whistleblower claimed that Wolf had instructed DHS officials to "cease providing intelligence assessments on the specter of Russian interference" and, instead, focus their efforts on gathering information related to activities being carried out by China and Iran.

The scope of the DHS IG report was limited to the one intelligence report in question.

Initially, the IG discovered, the DHS Intelligence and Analysis Office had adopted inside drafting and enhancing processes. The report was two pages in size and related to 1 "'present Democratic presidential candidate'" and to Russian activities to affect the presidential election. It evolved over time after receiving inside enter, in line with the IG report.

The IG additionally adopted up on a July 2020 meeting mentioned by the whistleblower, who claimed Wolf had asked for the product to be held as a result of "'it made the President look bad.'"

In line with notes of the meeting obtained by the IG, one prime official wrote: "AS1 -- will damage POTUS -- kill it per his authorities." The official instructed the IG the notes meant the appearing secretary had instructed him to hold the product as a result of it could damage Trump and the authorities cited have been in reference to those possessed by the secretary.

The IG's workplace interviewed Wolf, who denied saying this and added that he had requested for the product to be improved.

"I tried to place myself in the position of one in all our state and native partners who could be reading this and I couldn't see where the product, as written on July 8, would have added any value or given them any knowledge they could use. ... The product was not well written," the appearing secretary informed the IG's office, in accordance with the report.

The delays and disruptions, although, put the workplace susceptible to creating the notion of politicization, the IG report states. The IG advisable working with the Office of the Secretary and I&A oversight entities to make sure election-related reviews are in keeping with insurance policies and guidelines. I&A agreed with the advice.

CNN's Marshall Cohen contributed to this report.