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CIA Declassifies Review of 2016 Russia Election Assessment, Cites Process Flaws

It exposes leadership overreach in the analysis of Russian election interference under compressed deadlines.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe departs a classified briefing for senators at the Capitol on Capitol Hill, Thursday, June 26, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
A voter casts his ballot behind a ballot booth during the U.S. presidential election at a polling station in the Bronx Borough of New York, U.S. on November 8, 2016. REUTERS/Saul Martinez
John Brennan swore in as CIA director
CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) logo and U.S. flag are seen in this illustration taken May 6, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

Overview

  • CIA Director John Ratcliffe ordered the lessons-learned review in May and declassified it on July 2–3, 2025.
  • The report identifies multiple procedural anomalies, including a highly compressed timeline and excessive involvement by agency heads.
  • Analysts faced uneven access to compartmented intelligence as agencies like the Defense Intelligence Agency and State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research were excluded.
  • The review criticizes the inclusion of unverified Steele dossier material and argues the CIA and FBI should have rated their core judgment at “moderate confidence” rather than “high confidence.”
  • Despite those tradecraft shortcomings, the assessment’s central conclusion remains intact: President Vladimir Putin sought to influence the 2016 vote to benefit Donald Trump.