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

The April 26 Homeland Safety inspector general's assessment offers a damning take a look at the best way DHS' Workplace of Intelligence and Evaluation dealt with intelligence associated to Russia's efforts to interfere within the US, stating the department had deviated from its customary 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 is likely to be helping his election prospects. According to special counsel Robert Mueller's report, Trump officers tried to avoid the subject during meetings and at hearings, because he would change into enraged and upset when Russian meddling came up.

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

"We decided that the Appearing Secretary's involvement led to the uncommon occurrence of I&A ceasing dissemination of a product after it had already been permitted by the mission supervisor and circulated via superior notification," the report states.

"The delays and deviation from I&A's commonplace process and requirements put I&A liable to creating a perception of politicization. This conclusion is supported by I&A's personal tradecraft assessment, which determined that the product could be viewed as politicized," it continues.

The whistleblower claimed that Wolf had instructed DHS officials to "cease offering intelligence assessments on the specter of Russian interference" and, as a substitute, focus their efforts on gathering data related to activities being carried out by China and Iran.

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

Initially, the IG found, the DHS Intelligence and Analysis Office had followed internal drafting and editing processes. The report was two pages in length and related to at least one "'current Democratic presidential candidate'" and to Russian activities to affect the presidential election. It developed over time after receiving inside input, in line with the IG report.

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

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 informed the IG the notes meant the performing secretary had told him to carry the product as a result of it would hurt Trump and the authorities cited had 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 tried to put myself in the position of one of our state and local partners who can be reading this and I couldn't see the place the product, as written on July 8, would have added any value or given them any information they may use. ... The product was not properly written," the performing secretary instructed the IG's workplace, according to the report.

The delays and disruptions, although, put the workplace susceptible to 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 make sure election-related reviews are according to insurance policies and tips. I&A agreed with the advice.

CNN's Marshall Cohen contributed to this report.