DHS watchdog says Trump’s company seems to have altered report on Russian interference in 2020 election in part because of politics

The April 26 Homeland Security inspector general's assessment provides a damning look at the best way DHS' Workplace of Intelligence and Analysis dealt with intelligence related to Russia's efforts to intervene within the US, stating the department had deviated from its commonplace procedures in modifying assessments associated to Moscow's targeting of the 2020 presidential election.

The conclusion that Trump's appointee appeared to have tried to downplay Russian meddling in a key intelligence report is the newest instance of how his aides managed his aversion to any information about how Russia might be helping his election prospects. In line with particular counsel Robert Mueller's report, Trump officers tried to keep away from the subject during conferences and at hearings, as a result of he would turn out to be enraged and upset when Russian meddling came up.

The US intelligence group announced during the 2020 campaign that Russia was actively meddling in the election to weaken then-candidate Joe Biden. At the time, Trump downplayed those findings and promoted false claims about Biden that aligned with Russia's disinformation efforts. The IG report addresses past suspicions that Trump appointees distorted some intelligence reviews to foster a extra Trump-friendly narrative.

"We determined that the Performing Secretary's involvement led to the rare prevalence of I&A ceasing dissemination of a product after it had already been authorised by the mission supervisor and circulated via superior notification," the report states.

"The delays and deviation from I&A's normal course of and requirements put I&A prone to making a notion of politicization. This conclusion is supported by I&A's own tradecraft evaluation, which decided that the product could be viewed as politicized," it continues.

The whistleblower claimed that Wolf had instructed DHS officials to "stop providing intelligence assessments on the specter of Russian interference" and, as an alternative, focus their efforts on gathering information related to activities being carried out by China and Iran.

The scope of the DHS IG report was limited to the only intelligence report in query.

Initially, the IG discovered, the DHS Intelligence and Evaluation Office had adopted inner drafting and modifying processes. The report was two pages in size and associated to at least one "'current Democratic presidential candidate'" and to Russian activities to influence the presidential election. It evolved over time after receiving inside input, in response to the IG report.

The IG also adopted up on a July 2020 meeting mentioned by the whistleblower, who claimed Wolf had requested for the product to be held because "'it made the President look dangerous.'"

In response to notes of the meeting obtained by the IG, one high official wrote: "AS1 -- will hurt POTUS -- kill it per his authorities." The official instructed the IG the notes meant the acting secretary had informed him to hold the product as a result of it will harm Trump and the authorities cited have been in reference to those possessed by the secretary.

The IG's office interviewed Wolf, who denied saying this and added that he had asked for the product to be improved.

"I attempted to place myself in the place of considered one of our state and native companions who would be studying this and I could not see the place the product, as written on July 8, would have added any value or given them any knowledge they might use. ... The product was not well written," the acting secretary informed the IG's workplace, based on the report.

The delays and disruptions, though, put the workplace at risk of creating the notion of politicization, the IG report states. The IG really helpful working with the Workplace of the Secretary and I&A oversight entities to ensure election-related studies are according to insurance policies and tips. I&A agreed with the advice.

CNN's Marshall Cohen contributed to this report.