DHS watchdog says Trump’s company seems to have altered report on Russian interference in 2020 election in part due to politics

The April 26 Homeland Security inspector normal's evaluation gives a damning look at the way DHS' Workplace of Intelligence and Evaluation handled intelligence related to Russia's efforts to interfere in 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 most recent instance of how his aides managed his aversion to any information about how Russia may be serving to his election prospects. Based on special counsel Robert Mueller's report, Trump officers tried to avoid the topic during meetings and at hearings, because he would turn out to be enraged and upset when Russian meddling came up.

The US intelligence group announced during the 2020 campaign that Russia was actively meddling within the election to weaken then-candidate Joe Biden. On the time, Trump downplayed those 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 reports to foster a more Trump-friendly narrative.

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

"The delays and deviation from I&A's commonplace process and necessities put I&A prone to creating a notion of politicization. This conclusion is supported by I&A's personal tradecraft evaluation, which determined that the product is likely to be considered as politicized," it continues.

The whistleblower claimed that Wolf had instructed DHS officers to "stop offering intelligence assessments on the threat of Russian interference" and, instead, focus their efforts on gathering data related to actions being carried out by China and Iran.

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

Initially, the IG found, the DHS Intelligence and Analysis Workplace had adopted internal drafting and enhancing processes. The report was two pages in size and associated to one "'present Democratic presidential candidate'" and to Russian activities to affect the presidential election. It developed over time after receiving internal enter, based on the IG report.

The IG additionally adopted up on a July 2020 meeting talked about by the whistleblower, who claimed Wolf had asked for the product to be held because "'it made the President look bad.'"

In accordance with notes of the meeting obtained by the IG, one high official wrote: "AS1 -- will damage POTUS -- kill it per his authorities." The official told the IG the notes meant the acting secretary had told him to hold the product because it could 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 requested for the product to be improved.

"I attempted to place myself within the place of one among our state and native companions who would be studying this and I could not see the place the product, as written on July 8, would have added any worth or given them any knowledge they may use. ... The product was not well written," the appearing secretary instructed the IG's office, in accordance with the report.

The delays and disruptions, though, put the workplace at risk of 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 verify election-related reports are in keeping with policies and tips. I&A agreed with the recommendation.

CNN's Marshall Cohen contributed to this report.