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

The April 26 Homeland Security inspector general's evaluation offers a damning look at the way DHS' Workplace of Intelligence and Evaluation handled intelligence related to Russia's efforts to interfere within the US, stating the division 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 might be serving to his election prospects. According to particular counsel Robert Mueller's report, Trump officials tried to avoid the topic throughout meetings and at hearings, because he would turn out to be enraged and upset when Russian meddling got here up.

The US intelligence group introduced during the 2020 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 past suspicions that Trump appointees distorted some intelligence experiences to foster a extra Trump-friendly narrative.

"We determined that the Appearing Secretary's involvement led to the uncommon occurrence of I&A ceasing dissemination of a product after it had already been accredited by the mission manager and circulated by way of advanced notification," the report states.

"The delays and deviation from I&A's customary process and necessities put I&A prone to making a notion of politicization. This conclusion is supported by I&A's own tradecraft assessment, which determined that the product might be viewed as politicized," it continues.

The whistleblower claimed that Wolf had instructed DHS officials to "cease offering intelligence assessments on the threat of Russian interference" and, instead, focus their efforts on gathering info associated to activities being carried out by China and Iran.

The scope of the DHS IG report was restricted to the one intelligence report in question.

Initially, the IG discovered, the DHS Intelligence and Analysis Office had followed inside drafting and editing processes. The report was two pages in length and associated to 1 "'present Democratic presidential candidate'" and to Russian actions to affect the presidential election. It evolved over time after receiving internal input, according to the IG report.

The IG also followed up on a July 2020 assembly talked about by the whistleblower, who claimed Wolf had asked for the product to be held as a result of "'it made the President look dangerous.'"

According to notes of the assembly obtained by the IG, one high official wrote: "AS1 -- will damage POTUS -- kill it per his authorities." The official instructed the IG the notes meant the performing secretary had advised him to carry the product as a result of it would harm Trump and the authorities cited were 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 within the position of considered one of our state and local partners who could be reading this and I couldn't see where the product, as written on July 8, would have added any worth or given them any data they could use. ... The product was not nicely written," the acting secretary told the IG's workplace, in line with the report.

The delays and disruptions, although, put the workplace prone to creating the perception of politicization, the IG report states. The IG recommended working with the Workplace of the Secretary and I&A oversight entities to make sure election-related stories are according to insurance policies and guidelines. I&A agreed with the advice.

CNN's Marshall Cohen contributed to this report.