Longtime Trump political foe Democrat Sen. Adam Schiff has faced accusations of leaking classified documents for years — long before a whistleblower recently claimed the California lawmaker approved releasing classified information to undermine President Trump during the Russiagate probe, Fox News Digital reports.
Schiff, who served in the U.S. House for over two decades before winning a Senate seat in 2024, is under renewed scrutiny following FBI Director Kash Patel’s declassification of claims from a Democratic whistleblower. The whistleblower alleges Schiff approved releasing classified Trump information that “would be used to indict President TRUMP,” according to the report.
The whistleblower, who reportedly spent more than 10 years working with Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee, shared the claims with the FBI in 2017. Schiff, who had access to sensitive information while on the committee — including serving as its chair from 2019 to 2023 — allegedly directed the leak.
“In this meeting, SCHIFF stated the group would leak classified information which was derogatory to President of the United States DONALD J. TRUMP. SCHIFF stated the information would be used to indict President TRUMP,” the whistleblower documents state.
The whistleblower also reportedly said that when concerns were raised about the legality of the leak, unnamed members of the meeting reassured him they would not be caught.
Schiff has denied the allegations. His office told Fox News Digital on Aug. 12 that the claims were “absolutely and categorically false.”
These allegations are not new. Schiff has faced similar accusations since the first Trump administration. Fox News Digital reviewed his political history and compiled instances where he was accused of leaking classified materials.
A Schiff spokesperson called the August declassified whistleblower claims “just the latest in a series of defamatory attacks from the President and his allies meant to distract from their plummeting poll numbers and the Epstein files scandal.”
“These baseless smears are based on allegations that were found to be not reliable, not credible, and unsubstantiated from a disgruntled former staffer who was fired by the House Intelligence Committee for cause in early 2017,” the spokesperson continued. “Even Trump’s own Justice Department and an independent inspector general found this individual to not be credible, have ‘little support for their contentions,’ and was of ‘unknown reliability,’ concluding that his accusations against Members of Congress and congressional staff ‘were not ultimately substantiated.’”
Past Accusations of Leaks
Just days after President Joe Biden was sworn in, former acting Director of National Intelligence Ric Grenell listed allegations against Schiff on X, claiming he “regularly leaked classified information.” Grenell’s post received widespread attention and was preserved in contemporary reports, including the Washington Examiner.
Former Secretary of State and CIA Director Mike Pompeo also accused Schiff of leaking classified documents in January 2023. Pompeo said he “held back” information from the House Intelligence Committee because he was uncomfortable with Schiff leading the panel. Schiff’s office dismissed Pompeo’s claims as “another patently false and defamatory statement.”
Trump himself has accused Schiff of leaks, calling him in 2018 “one of the biggest liars and leakers in Washington” and alleging Schiff left closed committee hearings to leak confidential information. Schiff responded at the time, calling Trump’s claims a “false smear.”
During the Trump administration, the Department of Justice subpoenaed Apple for account data from House Democrats, including Schiff, while investigating leaks related to Trump’s alleged Russia ties. The investigation continued through the Trump years, and a 2024 DOJ Inspector General report found that the Trump DOJ did not follow proper procedures in seeking the records.
As the 2020 election approached, Trump continued accusing Schiff and other Democrats of leaking, leading the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to scale back security briefings with Congress. Schiff denied leaking intelligence in 2020, though he said he could not speak for other members.
The White House has continued to push for accountability. “This is obviously a bombshell whistleblower report,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, referencing the declassified testimony alleging Schiff approved leaking classified information to damage Trump.
Legal Defense Fund
In response to Trump and his allies, Schiff established a legal defense fund. “It’s clear that Donald Trump and his MAGA allies will continue weaponizing the justice process to attack Sen. Schiff for holding this corrupt administration accountable,” spokesperson Marisol Samayoa said.
Titled the “Senator Schiff Legal Defense Fund,” the initiative was filed with the IRS Thursday, first reported by The New York Times. White House spokesman Harrison Fields criticized the move, calling Schiff a “fraud” and “corrupt politician.”
Ongoing Political Conflict
Trump and Schiff’s rivalry spans years, including Schiff’s role as lead House manager during Trump’s first impeachment in 2020 and his participation on the Jan. 6 select committee. Schiff has also faced scrutiny from the Federal Housing Finance Agency over alleged mortgage fraud, which he denies, calling it a “baseless attempt at political retribution.”
Despite preemptive pardons issued by Biden to members of the Jan. 6 committee, Schiff criticized the practice as a poor precedent, maintaining that the committee’s oversight work was “vital.”
The dispute continues as Schiff navigates ongoing legal and political challenges while the White House continues to press for accountability for alleged leaks tied to Russiagate.
