A newly declassified version of the 2016 Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) on Russian interference in the U.S. election includes a claim that the Kremlin has “historically” preferred Republican candidates over Democrats. This assertion, however, is at odds with much of the historical record and has drawn criticism from intelligence veterans. Dan Hoffman, a former CIA station chief in Moscow, strongly disputed the claim, saying he never saw evidence of such a partisan preference during his time at the agency.

“They hate all of us—Republican and Democrat,” Hoffman said, emphasizing that Russia’s real goal is not to support one party over the other, but to destabilize American democracy itself. According to Hoffman, the ICA’s assertion is not grounded in what he observed during decades of intelligence work. He expressed skepticism about the source of the claim, noting he never presented such a viewpoint to policymakers or members of Congress.

The ICA, commissioned by President Obama, was compiled by then-Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, CIA Director John Brennan, and FBI Director James Comey. It was finalized in December 2016, with an unclassified summary released the following month. A more detailed version, previously classified, was only declassified and made public in July 2025.

This full version states that “Putin Ordered Campaign To Influence U.S. Election” and argues the Kremlin judged Republicans to be easier to work with due to their supposed lesser focus on democracy and human rights. It suggests this made them more appealing to Russian leadership.

However, critics say this narrative ignores the complexity of Russia’s interference history. Moscow has targeted both Republicans and Democrats over the years, depending on its shifting strategic objectives. The ICA’s claim that the 2016 interference was “unprecedented” has also been disputed, with experts pointing to past Soviet efforts to influence U.S. politics, including against Democrats with strong anti-Soviet positions.