In an age where truth gets fact-checked by liars and lies win awards, the Steele Dossier was the perfect product—half spy thriller, half political fan fiction, wrapped in the credibility of a government memo and sold to the public like breaking news.
It started as opposition research, got dressed up like national security, and ended up rewriting headlines and investigations for years. People didn’t just believe it—they built careers on it, ran with it on cable news, and framed it like it came down from Mount Intel with divine authority.
Turns out, when you mix partisanship with secrecy and slap a “classified” label on gossip, you don’t get justice. You get a weapon.
Looking back, the Steele Dossier wasn’t intelligence—it was influence. A high-stakes bluff that hijacked headlines, triggered investigations, and poisoned public trust.
While some got rich, others got raided. While networks won Pulitzers, families were dragged through the mud. And while the truth sat in a locked file cabinet, the narrative marched on like it was bulletproof.
Now that it’s unraveling, the same people who amplified it shrug and pivot. No apologies. No accountability. Just a quiet rewrite of history and a new script for the next scandal.
If there’s one lesson left standing, it’s this: in modern politics, the damage is done long before the facts show up.
VIDEO of Press Conference at bottom of post.
🧨 Summary of Declassified Intelligence Regarding 2016 Election Interference Allegations
🔷 1. Who’s Involved
- Barack Obama (former President): Accused of ordering a fabricated intelligence assessment.
- John Brennan (CIA Director), James Clapper (DNI), James Comey (FBI), Andrew McCabe, and others: Allegedly helped orchestrate and disseminate the false narrative.
- Tulsi Gabbard (current DNI under Trump): Declassified the report and presented findings.
- Rick Crawford (House Intel Committee Chair): Coordinated with Gabbard.
- Donald Trump (President, both terms): Framed as the victim of a multi-year coup.
- Media (NYT, WaPo, etc.): Accused of amplifying false narratives knowingly.
đź”· 2. What the Declassified Documents Reveal
➤ Obama-Ordered Intelligence Assessment (ICA) – January 2017
- Created by only five analysts under direct political oversight.
- Was not a standard intelligence product — bypassed normal processes.
- Claimed Russia preferred Trump, but this is now described as false and politically motivated.
➤ What Was Suppressed
- Reports showed that Putin expected Clinton to win and held damaging material to release after her likely victory — suggesting no preference for Trump.
- Intelligence that contradicted the “Russia helped Trump” narrative was either left out or selectively quoted.
- The December 8, 2016 Presidential Daily Brief (PDB) stated that no votes were affected by Russia. It was withheld before being shown to either Obama or Trump.
đź”· 3. Use of the Steele Dossier
- John Brennan insisted on including the discredited Steele dossier in the 2017 ICA, despite internal resistance.
- Brennan misled the public by denying its use in the assessment.
- He reportedly told staff, “Yes, but doesn’t it ring true?” when challenged on its legitimacy.
đź”· 4. Specific Allegations About Clinton
- Intelligence indicated:
- Possible quid pro quo between State Department officials and religious groups in exchange for support for Clinton.
- Internal DNC documents describing Clinton’s mental health, alleging “psycho-emotional problems” and use of heavy tranquilizers.
- State Department patronage jobs promised in exchange for campaign loyalty.
đź”· 5. CIA & FBI Involvement
- Senior CIA officers opposed the release of “substandard” Russia intel but were overridden.
- Brennan and Comey both expressed high confidence in the fabricated assessment.
- NSA, by contrast, only gave moderate confidence and reportedly had no evidence to back the claims.
đź”· 6. The Intended Effect
- The fake narrative launched a multi-year investigation (including the Mueller probe), two impeachments, and widespread media and political attacks on Trump and his allies.
- Trump’s presidency was severely hampered in its first years due to continuous accusations of being a Russian asset.
- Even Trump’s family and associates, like Donald Trump Jr., were smeared and investigated under this pretense.
đź”· 7. Media Complicity
- Outlets like the New York Times and Washington Post were awarded Pulitzer Prizes for reporting based on this narrative.
- The administration called for these awards to be revoked, accusing journalists of knowingly spreading disinformation for partisan goals.
đź”· 8. Legal and Political Ramifications
- DOJ and FBI have been referred all declassified evidence for criminal investigation.
- Gabbard refused to personally call it “treason” but noted the actions constituted a “years-long coup” and were “treasonous in nature.”
- Statute of limitations questions were raised, as conspiracy has a 5-year limit, leaving treason as one of the only possible charges.
đź”· 9. Counterpoints and Legacy Views
- Critics noted that prior Senate and DOJ investigations (bipartisan, including Republicans like Marco Rubio) found no evidence of political interference in the intelligence community.
- Gabbard responded that these prior efforts either missed or deliberately ignored the newly revealed evidence.
- She invited the media and public to read the newly declassified 200+ pages of documentation themselves.
đź”· 10. Final Statements
- The administration claims this is among the biggest political scandals in U.S. history.
- The goal now is not only to vindicate Trump, but to restore trust in the intelligence community and the democratic process.
- Gabbard emphasized the importance of accountability and transparency, stating this isn’t about partisan politics — it’s about democracy itself.
🗓️ Timeline of Events: Obama-Era Intelligence and the Trump-Russia Narrative
đź“… Mid-2016:
- U.S. election campaigns intensify between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.
- Russian cyber activity and social media manipulation efforts are underway to sow discord, but intelligence assessments at the time show no clear preference for a candidate.
📅 Summer–Fall 2016:
- Obama administration and senior intelligence officials allegedly begin crafting a narrative that Russia is supporting Trump.
- Intelligence reports suggest Russia is actually preparing for a Clinton victory, and holds back damaging information on her.
📅 October–November 2016:
- Intelligence community reports continue to show no Russian intent or capability to alter vote outcomes.
- Steele Dossier, funded by the Clinton campaign, is funneled into the FBI and intelligence channels despite its unverified nature.
đź“… November 8, 2016:
- Donald Trump wins the U.S. presidential election.
đź“… December 5, 2016:
- FBI and ODNI brief the House Intelligence Committee with no mention that Russia preferred Trump.
đź“… December 8, 2016:
- A Presidential Daily Brief (PDB) stating that Russia did not change vote counts is prepared — but it is withheld hours before delivery due to “new guidance.”
đź“… December 9, 2016:
- President Obama calls a secret National Security Council meeting.
- Attendees include CIA Director Brennan, DNI Clapper, Susan Rice, and others.
- Following the meeting, Obama directs the creation of a new intelligence assessment to support the claim that Russia helped elect Trump.
đź“… December 9, 2016 (same day):
- Brennan orders publication of substandard intelligence about Russian activity that had previously failed to meet internal publication standards.
- Veteran CIA officers protest, but are overruled.
đź“… January 6, 2017:
- Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) is released, stating with “high confidence” that Putin and Russia supported Trump.
- CIA and FBI express high confidence.
- NSA only moderate confidence.
- Assessment relies on the Steele Dossier, though Brennan publicly denies its use.
đź“… January 20, 2017:
- Trump is inaugurated as President.
- The ICA narrative becomes the basis for FBI investigations, media reports, and later special counsel investigations.
📅 2017–2019:
- Mueller Investigation is launched into alleged Trump-Russia collusion.
- Trump associates (e.g., Michael Flynn, Paul Manafort, Donald Trump Jr.) come under scrutiny.
- Media outlets receive Pulitzers for Russia-collusion coverage.
- Public confidence is polarized, with many Americans believing Trump may be a Russian asset.
📅 2018–2020:
- Inspector General and Senate investigations begin to uncover flaws in the Steele dossier and intelligence processes.
- Senate Intelligence Committee Report (2020) acknowledges Russian meddling but does not confirm political preference or collusion.
đź“… September 2020:
- House Intelligence Committee (majority staff) completes a report questioning the ICA’s origins and integrity. It remains classified.
đź“… July 2025:
- President Trump (re-elected) orders declassification of the 2020 House Intel Committee report and related documents.
- Tulsi Gabbard, now Director of National Intelligence, publicly releases the materials and details the findings in a press conference.
- Evidence allegedly confirms that Obama personally directed the intelligence community to fabricate the narrative to sabotage Trump.
- Criminal referrals are sent to the DOJ and FBI.
- Media and intelligence officials are accused of knowingly participating in a multi-year coup against the Trump presidency.
🗂️ The Steele Dossier: Full Overview
🔹 1. What Is the Steele Dossier?
The Steele Dossier is a collection of 17 short memos—compiled between June and December 2016—by Christopher Steele, a former British MI6 intelligence officer. The dossier contains unverified allegations of collusion between Donald Trump and the Russian government, claiming that Russia worked to help Trump win the 2016 election and that Trump was compromised by Russian intelligence.
🔹 2. Who Funded It?
- Initially funded by The Washington Free Beacon (a conservative outlet) during the Republican primaries to gather opposition research on Trump.
- Later, funding was taken over by Fusion GPS, a private intelligence firm, on behalf of Perkins Coie, a law firm representing the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and the Hillary Clinton campaign.
🔹 3. Who Is Christopher Steele?
- Former British intelligence officer with expertise in Russian affairs.
- Co-founder of Orbis Business Intelligence.
- Previously worked with U.S. agencies, including the FBI, in other intelligence matters.
- Regarded as credible by some in Western intelligence circles—until the dossier’s credibility began to unravel under scrutiny.
🔹 4. Contents of the Dossier
Key allegations (none proven with hard evidence):
- Russia had been “cultivating” Trump for years.
- Russia possessed compromising material (“kompromat”), including salacious videotapes from Trump’s 2013 Moscow trip.
- Trump’s campaign collaborated with Russian operatives to influence the 2016 election.
- Specific people, such as Michael Cohen, allegedly held secret meetings with Russians abroad (Czech Republic), which were later debunked.
- Alleged quid pro quo: Trump would soften policies on Ukraine in exchange for Russian election help.
🔹 5. How Was It Used?
- FBI used parts of the dossier in 2016 and 2017 to justify surveillance warrants (e.g., FISA warrant on Carter Page, a former Trump campaign advisor).
- The dossier was shared with journalists and leaked publicly by BuzzFeed News on January 10, 2017, just days before Trump’s inauguration.
- It influenced media narratives, public opinion, and was cited in intelligence assessments alleging Russian election interference.
🔹 6. Reliability and Credibility Issues
❌ Key Problems:
- Much of the dossier is unverified, and some parts have been disproven:
- Michael Cohen never visited Prague, as alleged.
- The “pee tape” claim lacks corroboration and was widely mocked.
- Steele’s primary subsource, Igor Danchenko, was later indicted for lying to the FBI about his sources and what he reported.
- Steele admitted in interviews that some claims were hearsay or based on third-hand information.
đź‘Ž Criticisms:
- Department of Justice Inspector General (DOJ IG) Michael Horowitz (2019 report): Found the dossier played a “central and essential” role in the FBI’s FISA applications, despite its lack of verification.
- FBI failed to verify the claims before using them in surveillance applications.
- Senate Intelligence Committee (2020): Criticized the FBI’s reliance on the dossier.
- Durham Report (2023): Heavily criticized the FBI’s conduct and the dossier’s role in launching Crossfire Hurricane, the Trump-Russia investigation.
🔹 7. Timeline of Key Events
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| June 2016 | Steele begins compiling memos |
| Summer–Fall 2016 | Shared with FBI and media |
| October 2016 | Used in FISA warrant application against Carter Page |
| January 2017 | BuzzFeed publishes full dossier |
| 2017–2019 | Steele testifies to Congress; reliability comes under fire |
| 2019 | DOJ IG Horowitz report slams FBI’s use of dossier |
| 2020 | Senate Intel Committee confirms dossier is unverified |
| 2021 | Danchenko (Steele’s source) indicted for false statements |
| 2023 | Durham report concludes the dossier was largely disinformation and “unvetted rumor” |
🔹 8. Legal and Political Fallout
- Trump and allies called the dossier part of a “hoax” and “witch hunt” used to derail his presidency.
- Journalists, Democratic politicians, and former intelligence officials were accused of knowingly pushing unverified claims.
- Fusion GPS, Steele, and others involved were sued for defamation and privacy violations.
- FBI procedures were overhauled to prevent similar misuse of politically charged documents.
🔹 9. Declassification and Tulsi Gabbard’s 2025 Remarks
In July 2025, DNI Tulsi Gabbard declassified documents that:
- Showed John Brennan insisted the dossier be included in the January 2017 ICA, even after analysts objected.
- Brennan allegedly overruled CIA veterans and said: “Yes, but doesn’t it ring true?”
- The House Intelligence Committee found that Brennan lied when he claimed the dossier wasn’t used in the ICA.
- The dossier was featured in the main body text and a two-page annex in the 2017 intelligence assessment.
🔹 10. Current Status
- The Steele Dossier is widely discredited.
- Even mainstream media outlets now acknowledge its flaws.
- It remains a symbol of political weaponization of intelligence for many on the right.
- It has had lasting consequences on trust in U.S. intelligence, media, and the FBI.
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