Ex-CIA Official Rejects Gabbard’s ‘Lying’ Claim on 2016 Russian Interference Report
Ex-CIA Official Rejects Gabbard’s ‘Lying’ Claim on 2016 Russian Interference Report
A former senior CIA officer, Susan Miller, who oversaw the 2017 intelligence assessment on Russia’s interference in the 2016 election, has publicly accused Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and the White House of “lying” about the report’s findings. Miller asserts that the assessment, which concluded Moscow sought to aid Donald Trump’s election bid, was based on credible intelligence and was not an attempt to sabotage Trump.
Miller, a retired CIA officer with 39 years of service, told NBC News that the intelligence clearly indicated Russia’s specific goal was to get Trump elected. However, she reiterated that the assessment found no evidence of a conspiracy or “two-way collusion” between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin.
Her comments come in response to Gabbard’s recent allegations that the 2017 assessment relied on “manufactured” information, part of a “treasonous conspiracy” by the Obama administration to undermine Trump. Gabbard cited a declassified 2020 Republican House intelligence report to support her claims, which asserted insufficient information to conclude Russia aimed to favor Trump.
Miller dismissed these counter-claims, stating, “It is clear that Trump and his followers have a script they want to follow, despite the facts.” She detailed how her team maintained neutrality despite political pressures and based their conclusions purely on collected data, which showed Russia waged a large-scale information warfare campaign to damage Hillary Clinton’s candidacy and boost Trump’s prospects.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) has refuted Miller’s statements, with spokesperson Olivia Coleman directing the public to the declassified 2020 Republican House intelligence report. White House spokesperson Davis Ingle echoed Gabbard’s stance, suggesting the declassified documents expose an “Obama administration” hoax and promising accountability for those involved in alleged “criminal activity.”
Miller also recounted being questioned by Special Counsel John Durham’s team regarding potential anti-Republican bias, despite being a registered Republican herself. She was never charged or disciplined. The CIA declined to comment on Miller’s remarks or on a recent internal review that found some procedural irregularities in the 2017 assessment but did not question its conclusions.
Miller concluded by suggesting that Russia would be pleased by the ongoing political acrimony in Washington over the 2016 events, viewing it as a success for their disinformation efforts.
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