Gabbard unveils Clapper emails on Russia interference report

Hold onto your hats, folks — Tulsi Gabbard, now Director of National Intelligence, just dropped a bombshell by declassifying emails that she claims expose Obama-era meddling in the 2016 Russia hacking investigation, as The Hill reports.

Gabbard’s latest move centers on a December 2016 email exchange between then-DNI James Clapper and then-NSA Director Mike Rogers, tied to a report on Russia’s interference in the Democratic National Committee hack during that year’s election, with allegations of rushed processes and political agendas swirling.

Let’s rewind to late 2016, after Donald Trump secured his victory, when Clapper and Rogers were hashing out a critical report for President Obama on Russia’s cyber shenanigans.

Emails reveal tension over rushed report

Rogers, clearly uneasy, wrote to Clapper with concerns from his NSA team about needing more time to vet the intelligence before finalizing their conclusions.

“My folks aren’t fully comfortable saying that they have had enough time to review all of the intelligence,” Rogers noted. Well, isn’t that a polite way to say, “We’re not ready to sign off on this just yet”?

Clapper, however, wasn’t having it, replying that extra time wasn’t an option with a tight deadline looming before the January 2017 Inauguration, pushing for a unified front among the CIA, NSA, FBI, and ODNI.

Clapper pushes for team unity

“This is one project that has to be a team sport,” Clapper insisted. Sounds noble, but when the clock’s ticking louder than a campaign rally, teamwork can start looking like arm-twisting.

Rogers also questioned whether the NSA would be listed as a co-author, offering to step back if the report was strictly a CIA or FBI product, a move that hints at deeper unease about accountability.

Gabbard, seizing on these two emails — though the full conversation remains a mystery — claims they reveal a deliberate effort to “compromise standards” in crafting the 2017 intelligence assessment. That’s a hefty accusation for just a snippet of dialogue.

Gabbard’s claims stir political firestorm

“Clapper’s own words confirm that complying with the order to manufacture intelligence was a ‘team sport,’” Gabbard declared. If true, that’s a damning indictment, but the limited emails released so far don’t fully back up such a blockbuster charge.

Trump, never one to miss a chance to rally the base, amplified Gabbard’s narrative on Truth Social, praising her recent work on declassifying 2016 election documents with a quip about her being the “hottest” in the room. Credit where it’s due, but let’s hope the focus stays on the facts, not the fanfare.

Clapper and his former colleague John Brennan pushed back hard, calling the accusations “patently false” and accusing the Trump team of trying to “rewrite history.” That’s a bold defense, but when declassified docs are in play, history tends to write itself.

Contradictory intelligence on Russia’s intentions

Gabbard also released a previously classified House Intelligence Committee report from Republicans questioning whether Russia’s 2016 meddling aimed to boost Trump or just create chaos, a point that diverges from most intelligence conclusions favoring the former.

Adding to the mix, one of Gabbard’s documents shows Clapper acknowledging Russia couldn’t alter vote counts — a fact no one is disputing, but hardly the gotcha moment for which some might hope.

While Gabbard’s been on a roll declassifying records tied to the 2016 election amid unrelated calls for Trump administration transparency on other matters like Jeffrey Epstein files, her standing in Trump’s inner circle has been shaky, though his recent praise suggests she’s gaining ground. Turns out, persistence pays — especially when you’ve got emails to back your play. Let’s see if more documents deliver the knockout punch or just more questions.