CIA Director John Ratcliffe has suggested that new intelligence files related to the origins of the “Russiagate” investigation — which alleged ties between Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia — will soon be made public. Speaking on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo, Ratcliffe claimed the forthcoming documents will further expose connections between Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign and efforts to promote false allegations of Russian interference.
According to Ratcliffe, the unreleased files include “underlying intelligence” referenced in an annex of the 2023 Durham Report — a review led by former Special Counsel John Durham into the FBI’s handling of the Trump-Russia probe known as “Crossfire Hurricane.” The declassification process for these materials is reportedly underway.
“What hasn’t come out yet — and what’s going to come out — is the underlying intelligence,” Ratcliffe said. “That intelligence shows this wasn’t just a Hillary Clinton plan. The FBI became an accelerant, amplifying what they knew was false — including the Steele dossier — to further push the narrative.”
The Steele dossier, a now widely discredited opposition-research report compiled by former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele, played a role in the early stages of the FBI’s Russia investigation. It was initially funded by the Washington Free Beacon and later by the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee.
Ratcliffe reiterated a claim that U.S. intelligence agencies intercepted Russian sources in 2016 discussing a Clinton campaign plan to link Trump to Russia. He cited former CIA Director John Brennan’s handwritten notes as part of the intelligence record pointing to these efforts.
“All of this evidence that’s been hidden and buried from the American people is finally coming to light,” Ratcliffe stated.
While many Obama-era officials have denied that the Steele dossier was the catalyst for the FBI’s Russia investigation, Ratcliffe argued that the new disclosures would reveal coordination among key government officials. He went as far as to claim a “conspiracy” involving both political and intelligence figures.
“There is no doubt in my mind that the people we’re talking about conspired — against President Trump and against the American people,” Ratcliffe said.
He also noted that both he and former Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard have referred aspects of their findings to the Department of Justice. Ratcliffe dismissed concerns over the statute of limitations, saying the alleged conspiracy remains ongoing.
Gabbard, who has increasingly spoken out on government transparency, recently highlighted declassified material including a 2020 House Intelligence Committee report that concluded there was insufficient evidence to determine Russia favored Trump in the 2016 election.
The claims and potential releases come as debates over the legitimacy and political motivations of the Trump-Russia investigation continue to spark intense public and political interest.
