Overview

• The internal CIA review declassified by Director John Ratcliffe found that former CIA Director John Brennan mandated inclusion of the Steele Dossier in the 2016 Intelligence Community Assessment despite objections from career intelligence officers.
• Brennan’s written directive overruled two senior Russia analysts who warned that the unverified dossier did not meet basic tradecraft standards and risked the assessment’s credibility.
• The review directly contradicts Brennan’s May 2017 sworn testimony denying any use of the dossier in the ICA, prompting legal experts to consider potential perjury charges.
• A still-classified House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence staff report suggests even deeper procedural corruption in the ICA process under Brennan and former FBI Director James Comey.
• Ratcliffe has defended the declassification as a step toward transparency and urged the release of additional internal investigations into the 2016 assessment process.