Overview

• The declassified lessons-learned review highlights procedural anomalies in the December 2016 intelligence assessment, including a compressed timeline, uneven access to compartmented information and excessive involvement of agency heads.
• It recommends downgrading the CIA and FBI’s “high confidence” rating on Putin’s intent to aid Trump to the NSA’s “moderate confidence” level.
• The inclusion of unverified Steele dossier material is cited as a violation of fundamental tradecraft principles that undermined the credibility of a key judgment.
• Review authors warn that pre-assessment media leaks risked anchoring bias by signaling a consensus on Russia’s election meddling before analysts conducted their work.
• Ratcliffe has committed to implementing the report’s recommendations through reforms aimed at depoliticizing analysis and reinforcing rigorous intelligence practices.