2016 Russia-Trump Intel Assessment Marred by Political Pressures and Discredited Information: CIA Report

The report urged that future assessments avoid political pressures, allow sufficient time for debate, and uphold strict analytic independence.

The seal of the Central Intelligence Agency at the entrance of the agency headquarters in McLean, Va., on Sept. 24, 2022. Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters

A newly declassified CIA review has concluded that the 2016 U.S. intelligence assessment that Russia sought to help then-candidate Donald Trump win the presidential election was influenced by political pressures, rushed timelines, and the inclusion of discredited information.

Nonetheless, the assessment was “deemed defensible” by the review team.