Reports Allege Obama, Brennan Withheld 2016 Intel to Undermine Trump

Recent reports and congressional findings have intensified scrutiny on former intelligence officials and the handling of intelligence around the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard revealed that the Obama administration and CIA Director John Brennan intentionally suppressed intelligence indicating Russian President Vladimir Putin possessed compromising material on Hillary Clinton, which was planned to be released post-election to undermine her presidency. Gabbard also criticized the weaponization of intelligence, citing the inclusion of the Steele dossier in official CIA reports despite warnings about its fabrication. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump, maintaining his distancing from Jeffrey Epstein, faces renewed political pressure and calls from Democrats for transparency regarding Epstein-related documents. This climate of controversy reflects ongoing partisan battles over the legacy of the 2016 election and the handling of intelligence, with Trump’s administration pushing for the release of Epstein grand jury transcripts while Democrats accuse the Justice Department of withholding information to protect Trump. Legal experts also question the wisdom of Trump's lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal over Epstein coverage, describing it as counterproductive.