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

The April 26 Homeland Safety inspector general's assessment provides a damning look at the best way DHS' Office of Intelligence and Evaluation handled intelligence related to Russia's efforts to intervene within the US, stating the department had deviated from its standard 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 example of how his aides managed his aversion to any information about how Russia could be helping his election prospects. In accordance with special counsel Robert Mueller's report, Trump officials tried to avoid the subject throughout meetings and at hearings, as a result of he would become enraged and upset when Russian meddling came up.

The US intelligence community introduced throughout the 2020 campaign that Russia was actively meddling in 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 past suspicions that Trump appointees distorted some intelligence stories to foster a extra Trump-friendly narrative.

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

"The delays and deviation from I&A's normal course of and requirements put I&A vulnerable 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 seen as politicized," it continues.

The whistleblower claimed that Wolf had instructed DHS officers to "stop providing intelligence assessments on the specter of Russian interference" and, as a substitute, focus their efforts on gathering data related to activities being carried out by China and Iran.

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

Initially, the IG found, the DHS Intelligence and Evaluation Office had adopted internal drafting and enhancing processes. The report was two pages in length and associated to one "'present Democratic presidential candidate'" and to Russian actions to affect the presidential election. It evolved over time after receiving inside input, based on the IG report.

The IG also adopted up on a July 2020 assembly talked about by the whistleblower, who claimed Wolf had requested for the product to be held because "'it made the President look unhealthy.'"

In line with notes of the assembly obtained by the IG, one high official wrote: "AS1 -- will harm POTUS -- kill it per his authorities." The official told the IG the notes meant the performing secretary had informed him to hold the product because it might harm Trump and the authorities cited have been in reference to those possessed by the secretary.

The IG's workplace interviewed Wolf, who denied saying this and added that he had requested for the product to be improved.

"I tried to place myself in the position of one in every of our state and local partners who can be studying 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 well written," the appearing secretary told the IG's workplace, in response to the report.

The delays and disruptions, although, put the workplace susceptible 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 ensure election-related reports are according to policies and pointers. I&A agreed with the advice.

CNN's Marshall Cohen contributed to this report.