ODNI Report Claims Pulitzer Prize-Winning Reporting Was Based on Clearly Incorrect Intelligence

New Developments in Intelligence Controversy

A memo from the director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, has brought attention to earlier claims by the Washington Post about a supposed plot by Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the 2016 elections. The memo disputes the idea that there was a scheme to set up then-candidate Donald Trump.

In April, Gabbard formed a working group aimed at declassifying intelligence and addressing abuse within spy agencies. Her recent notes suggest that former President Barack Obama initiated a review regarding Russian election interference. This came despite previous assessments by the Intelligence Community indicating that Russia lacked the capability to interfere effectively. The memo alleges that Obama’s actions led to a spread of what it termed “blatantly false intelligence,” further complicating the narrative surrounding the Washington Post’s Pulitzer Prize-winning reporting on the matter.

Americans will eventually learn the truth about how intelligence was politicized in 2016 to lay the foundation for a long-standing coup by powerful figures within the Obama administration.

– dni tulsi gabbard (@dnigabbard) July 18, 2025

This ongoing lawsuit has reignited scrutiny on the Washington Post and New York Times, especially their continuous coverage of the Russia investigation. Trump has taken legal action against the influential journalists involved. Notably, the 2018 Pulitzer Prize was jointly awarded to these publications, despite claims that their submissions should not have been considered reliable.

In addition, there were multiple reports from the Intelligence Community, including a draft from a December 2016 Presidential Daily Briefing (PDB), suggesting that while some believed Russian interference occurred, there was still an understanding that Russia did not possess the necessary means to impact U.S. elections. One excerpt from the PDB draft indicated, “Russia and criminals have not affected recent US election outcomes.”

Following this, the PDB faced changes after the FBI altered its cooperation stance under then-director James Comey. Reports also emerged linking Comey to a criminal investigation concerning weaponized intelligence.

On December 9, 2016, Obama convened a meeting at the White House with key national security officials to discuss the alleged Russian intervention. The Intelligence Community was tasked with creating two evaluations: one classified and another for public release.

As these discussions unfolded, reports were published claiming that Russia had intervened in the election to benefit Trump. The ODNI memo has characterized these earlier assessments as “blatantly false.”

Requests for comments from the Washington Post regarding these allegations went unanswered. Gabbard accused a reporter from the Post of harassing her staff, which led to further tensions.