The Justice Department has assembled a special “strike force” to evaluate newly declassified evidence from Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard that implicates former President Barack Obama and top officials in his administration in the alleged fabrication of intelligence tied to the Trump–Russia collusion narrative.
In a statement released Wednesday evening, the DOJ announced the formation of the team, which will explore potential legal actions stemming from documents suggesting Obama-era intelligence leaders deliberately shaped or manipulated information to promote the theory that then-candidate Donald Trump conspired with Russia to influence the 2016 election.
“The Department takes these allegations of intelligence community weaponization with the utmost seriousness,” a DOJ official told Fox News Digital, adding that the strike force is reviewing all evidence and considering every option.
Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that the DOJ would “leave no stone unturned” and praised Gabbard’s cooperation in exposing what she called “troubling disclosures.”
The strike force will include investigators and prosecutors from the DOJ’s National Security Division, focusing on a broad spectrum of misconduct—including fraud, money laundering, and false statements. While typically assembled for financial and cybercrime, this team’s scope now extends to investigating alleged intelligence abuses at the highest levels of government.
The launch of this team comes on the heels of escalating revelations surrounding the origins of the Trump–Russia investigation. Earlier this month, CIA Director John Ratcliffe referred former CIA Director John Brennan for criminal investigation, citing declassified findings from a review of the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA). That assessment concluded Russia interfered in the election to help Trump—claims now under renewed scrutiny.
The internal review revealed that key decisions during the ICA’s creation—such as including the now-discredited Steele dossier—deviated from standard intelligence protocols and undercut the credibility of its conclusions. The Steele dossier, funded by the Hillary Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee, has since been debunked as unverified and politically motivated.
Among the declassified materials were records showing Brennan insisted the dossier be included in the ICA despite concerns about its accuracy. Brennan is now the subject of a formal FBI investigation, as is former FBI Director James Comey. DOJ sources told Fox News Digital that their actions may constitute a “conspiracy,” potentially opening the door to further prosecutions.
Additionally, Gabbard has declassified documents indicating that President Obama and senior national security officials orchestrated the foundation for the Trump–Russia probe immediately after Trump’s 2016 victory. Those named in the new documents include Obama, former DNI James Clapper, Brennan, former National Security Advisor Susan Rice, Secretary of State John Kerry, Attorney General Loretta Lynch, and Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe.
Gabbard has since submitted a criminal referral to the DOJ based on her findings. DOJ officials declined to disclose who the referral specifically targets.
On Wednesday, Gabbard released more records showing the intelligence community had no direct evidence that Russian President Vladimir Putin preferred Trump in 2016—despite intelligence reports published under what she called “unusual” pressure from Obama. That information had been compiled in a long-classified 2020 House Intelligence Committee report, originally initiated by then-Chairman Devin Nunes (R-CA), but suppressed until now.
Transcripts of closed-door testimonies from top Obama officials—including Clapper, Lynch, Rice, and Samantha Power—show that none of them could produce empirical evidence of collusion between Trump and Russia. Many admitted under oath they had no direct proof to support the allegations publicly pushed by officials and media for years.
“I never saw any direct empirical evidence that the Trump campaign or someone in it was plotting or conspiring with the Russians,” Clapper testified in 2017. Lynch similarly stated she had not been briefed on such evidence. Power admitted she was “not in possession” of any supporting intelligence, while Rice said she could not recall seeing any “smoking gun.”
Andrew McCabe, the former FBI deputy director, was questioned about the Steele dossier, which had been used to brief President Trump during the transition period. When asked if any claims in the dossier had been verified, McCabe replied, “We have not been able to prove the accuracy of all the information.”
Further documents reveal that Obama, Biden, Brennan, and Comey met in the Oval Office in July 2016, where Brennan briefed them on intelligence that Clinton’s campaign was seeking to “vilify Donald Trump by stirring up a scandal claiming interference by the Russian security service.”
Former Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power also stated she had seen no intelligence supporting the collusion theory. In newly released transcribed interviews, many officials acknowledged the intelligence used to initiate the Russia probe was questionable, incomplete, or entirely political.
Comey and Brennan briefed Trump on the Steele dossier in early January 2017, knowing at the time that its origin and funding were tied to Clinton’s campaign—though that information was not disclosed to Trump.
A spokesman for President Obama issued a rare response, calling the allegations “bizarre” and “a weak attempt at distraction.” The statement insisted that Russia’s election interference efforts were confirmed by a 2020 bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee report led by then-Chairman Marco Rubio (R-FL).
Nonetheless, investigations by the DOJ, FBI, and other agencies continue to unfold. While no formal charges have been announced, sources close to the probe suggest that significant developments could be on the horizon.
