Missing Binder Mystery: How Russian Intel Vanished Under Trump
- The binder at the center of the controversy traces back to 2018, when House Republicans, led by Devin Nunes, compiled a classified report alleging the Obama administration skewed intelligence in its assessment that Russia had worked to help Trump in the 2016 election. This report was heavily disputed, with Democrats claiming that the Republican allegations were overblown and that the intelligence actually proved the opposite.
- President Trump, during his tenure, made several attempts to declassify and gain access to this report and other related documents, amid resistance from his national security leaders who feared exposure of sources and methods. However, the binder remained classified.
- As Trump’s tenure ended, there was a last-minute scramble to declassify the documents, with some being taken to the Justice Department for a final review. However, the unredacted version of the binder was reported to have been taken by Mark Meadows when he left the White House, sparking concerns about the mishandling of classified documents.
Trump’s Missing Binder: Controversy Surrounds Declassification of Russia Probe Material
The disappearance of a binder containing classified material related to the FBI’s investigation into Trump’s campaign and Russia is causing a furor. Former President Trump sought to declassify these documents, asserting they would substantiate his allegations that the FBI’s Russia probe was baseless, despite vehement resistance from his national security officials.
In 2018, Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee, under the leadership of Chairman Devin Nunes, crafted a classified report. This report alleged the Obama administration had distorted intelligence in its determination that Putin had assisted Trump in the 2016 elections. The controversial GOP report criticized the intelligence community’s handling of classified 2016 intelligence on Putin’s attempts to aid Trump’s campaign.
The political divide over the report’s content led to heated debates. GOP sources argued that the report indicated the intelligence community assessment was biased by senior Obama administration officials, who reportedly ignored evidence that Russia preferred Hillary Clinton to win in 2016. However, Democratic sources counter-argued that the GOP allegations were overstated. The Republican-led Senate Intelligence Committee in 2020 confirmed the Democratic stance, stating the 2016 assessment was a “sound intelligence product”.
Nunes, now CEO of Trump’s media company, derided CNN for focusing on the “secret Trump binders”. These documents became a focal point in the quest for public access to material connected to the Russia investigation. However, CIA Director Gina Haspel and other national security leaders vigorously opposed the public release of this report due to concerns about exposing sources and methods.
In the 2020 election run-up, Trump’s intelligence leaders, acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell, and successor John Ratcliffe declassified some documents related to Russia and the FBI. Despite this, the House GOP report remained classified.
After the election, Trump considered ousting Haspel to release more information about the Russia investigation. One adviser suggested replacing Haspel with Kash Patel, formerly Nunes’ aide when the GOP report was drafted and later a member of Trump’s National Security Council and acting defense secretary’s chief of staff.
The disagreement over the classified material continued post-election. Sources disclosed that then-Attorney General William Barr and Ratcliffe dissuaded Trump from declassifying intelligence related to Russia, citing national security concerns. Nevertheless, Barr and his aides also reportedly pressured the FBI and intelligence agencies to satisfy Trump’s demands and declassify more information.
As the search for the missing binder continues, the partisan wrangling and legal proceedings serve as a stark reminder of the divided political landscape and the vehement efforts by both sides to control the narrative on the controversial 2016 election investigations.
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