Clapper Crony Threatened Promotion Over Russia ICA, Whistleblower Says
Newly released notes obtained by The Federalist reveal explosive allegations that a close aide to former Director of National Intelligence (DNI) James Clapper threatened to withhold a promotion from a senior intelligence analyst unless he agreed with the conclusions of the disputed 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) on Russian interference in the 2016 election.
The whistleblower, a top analyst within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), documented a conversation in which a Clapper-aligned supervisor pressured him to endorse the ICA’s claim that Russian President Vladimir Putin “aspired” to help Donald Trump win the presidency. The analyst refused, insisting on reviewing the raw intelligence himself—something he was allegedly denied access to.
The notes, drafted in March 2023 but based on a conversation that took place in early January 2017, indicate that the analyst was told: “You need to TRUST ME on this” and that he would need to “outgrow” his disagreement with the ICA’s conclusions if he wanted to be recommended for a promotion.
The release of these notes adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that the ICA — ordered by then-President Barack Obama in his final days in office — was shaped by political pressure and selectively curated intelligence. Previous declassified emails show shock from analysts over the ICA’s reliance on the now-debunked Steele dossier, which had been funded by the Clinton campaign.
According to the whistleblower, he was instructed to help bring the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) on board with the ICA. He refused to alter his conclusions, and as a result, the DIA declined to join the CIA, FBI, and NSA in signing off on the final non-compartmented version of the assessment.
The analyst’s notes also capture his supervisor raising speculation unsupported by intelligence: “Isn’t it possible Putin has something on Trump, to blackmail and coerce him?” The comment echoes similar sentiments from then-CIA Director John Brennan, who reportedly dismissed skepticism about the Steele dossier with the phrase, “Yes, but doesn’t it ring true?”
While the analyst’s recollection came years after the events, supporting emails and consistent documentation provide credibility to his claims. However, it remains unclear whether further corroborating evidence will emerge to confirm that Clapper’s office used career advancement as leverage to enforce consensus on the Russia narrative.
The revelations further complicate the public’s trust in the integrity of U.S. intelligence assessments during one of the most politically charged periods in recent history. The Trump administration’s ongoing declassifications, now continued under Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, continue to expose internal dissent within the intelligence community over how the Russia investigation was conducted and presented to the American people.
DailyClout.io will continue to cover this story. Source article posted here.
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