The two-page summary was written without the detailed specifics and information about sources and methods included in the memos by the former British intelligence official. Trump, according to law enforcement, intelligence and administration sources. On the same day that the President-elect was briefed by the intelligence community, the top four Congressional leaders, and chairmen and ranking members of the House and Senate intelligence committees – the so-called “Gang of Eight” – were also provided a summary of the memos regarding Mr. What has changed since then is that US intelligence agencies have now checked out the former British intelligence operative and his vast network throughout Europe and find him and his sources to be credible enough to include some of the information in the presentations to the President and President-elect a few days ago. Some of the memos were circulating as far back as last summer. Russia denies having “Kompromat” on Donald Tump But, in preparing this story, CNN has spoken to multiple high ranking intelligence, administration, congressional and law enforcement officials, as well as foreign officials and others in the private sector with direct knowledge of the memos. At this point, CNN is not reporting on details of the memos, as it has not independently corroborated the specific allegations. The memos originated as opposition research, first commissioned by anti-Trump Republicans, and later by Democrats. The memos have since been published by Buzzfeed. The Trump transition team declined repeated requests for comment.Īppearing on Late Night with Seth Meyers, Kellyanne Conway, a senior Trump adviser, dismissed the memos, as unverified and untrue.ĬNN has reviewed a 35-page compilation of the memos, from which the two-page synopsis was drawn. Trump but cannot confirm if it was discussed in his meeting with the intelligence chiefs. Sources tell CNN that these same allegations about communications between the Trump campaign and the Russians, mentioned in classified briefings for congressional leaders last year, prompted then-Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid to send a letter to FBI Director Comey in October, in which he wrote, “It has become clear that you possess explosive information about close ties and coordination between Donald Trump, his top advisors, and the Russian government – a foreign interest openly hostile to the United States.”ĬNN has confirmed that the synopsis was included in the documents that were presented to Mr. The two-page synopsis also included allegations that there was a continuing exchange of information during the campaign between Trump surrogates and intermediaries for the Russian government, according to two national security officials. This synopsis was not an official part of the report from the intelligence community case about Russian hacks, but some officials said it augmented the evidence that Moscow intended to harm Clinton’s candidacy and help Trump’s, several officials with knowledge of the briefings tell CNN. These senior intelligence officials also included the synopsis to demonstrate that Russia had compiled information potentially harmful to both political parties, but only released information damaging to Hillary Clinton and Democrats. One reason the nation’s intelligence chiefs took the extraordinary step of including the synopsis in the briefing documents was to make the President-elect aware that such allegations involving him are circulating among intelligence agencies, senior members of Congress and other government officials in Washington, multiple sources tell CNN. The classified briefings last week were presented by four of the senior-most US intelligence chiefs – Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, FBI Director James Comey, CIA Director John Brennan, and NSA Director Admiral Mike Rogers. The FBI is investigating the credibility and accuracy of these allegations, which are based primarily on information from Russian sources, but has not confirmed many essential details in the memos about Mr. The allegations came, in part, from memos compiled by a former British intelligence operative, whose past work US intelligence officials consider credible. The allegations were presented in a two-page synopsis that was appended to a report on Russian interference in the 2016 election. Trump, multiple US officials with direct knowledge of the briefings tell CNN. Classified documents presented last week to President Obama and President-elect Trump included allegations that Russian operatives claim to have compromising personal and financial information about Mr.
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