In mid-December 2016, before the U.S. intelligence community assessment (ICA) on Russian election interference was finalized, President Barack Obama publicly endorsed the CIA’s emerging view that Russian President Vladimir Putin favored Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton. This early endorsement came despite the ICA still being in draft form and lacking full interagency consensus.

According to newly declassified documents reported by Just the News, Obama played a pivotal role in shaping the Russiagate narrative. Following Trump’s 2016 victory, Obama ordered the production of a new ICA, directed by CIA Director John Brennan. Even before this assessment was completed, Obama publicly supported Brennan’s controversial conclusion that Putin interfered in the election to harm Clinton and benefit Trump.

Obama’s statements during a December 2016 NPR interview, a White House press conference, and an appearance on The Daily Show strongly suggested he had already embraced this conclusion. However, the most highly classified version of the ICA was not finalized until December 30, 2016, with a less classified version dated January 5, 2017, and the public version released the next day.

Former Representative Tulsi Gabbard, now serving as Director of National Intelligence, recently stated that Obama and his national security team directed the creation of an assessment they allegedly knew was flawed. According to Gabbard, the aim was to promote a false narrative to the American public, suggesting Russian interference specifically intended to help Trump.

While early reports, including an October 2016 New York Times article, found no direct Trump-Russia ties, subsequent leaks began to shift public perception. Gabbard emphasized that Russia had anticipated a Clinton victory and primarily aimed to sow chaos—not ensure a Trump win—during the 2016 election, a view later supported by additional intelligence reviews.