DHS watchdog says Trump’s agency appears to have altered report on Russian interference in 2020 election partly due to politics

The April 26 Homeland Safety inspector normal's assessment offers a damning look at the way in which DHS' Workplace of Intelligence and Evaluation dealt with intelligence related to Russia's efforts to intervene within the US, stating the department had deviated from its normal procedures in modifying assessments related 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 keeping with special counsel Robert Mueller's report, Trump officials tried to keep away from the subject throughout meetings and at hearings, because he would develop into enraged and upset when Russian meddling came up.

The US intelligence community announced during the 2020 marketing campaign that Russia was actively meddling in the election to weaken then-candidate Joe Biden. At the time, Trump downplayed these 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 reports to foster a extra Trump-friendly narrative.

"We decided that the Acting Secretary's involvement led to the uncommon occurrence of I&A ceasing dissemination of a product after it had already been accredited by the mission manager and circulated through advanced notification," the report states.

"The delays and deviation from I&A's commonplace process and necessities put I&A at risk of making a perception of politicization. This conclusion is supported by I&A's personal tradecraft assessment, which decided that the product may be viewed as politicized," it continues.

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

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

Initially, the IG found, the DHS Intelligence and Analysis Office had followed internal drafting and enhancing processes. The report was two pages in size and related to 1 "'current Democratic presidential candidate'" and to Russian actions to affect the presidential election. It developed over time after receiving inner input, in accordance with the IG report.

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

According to notes of the meeting obtained by the IG, one top official wrote: "AS1 -- will harm POTUS -- kill it per his authorities." The official informed the IG the notes meant the performing secretary had informed him to carry the product as a result of it might damage Trump and the authorities cited have been in reference to those possessed by the secretary.

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

"I tried to place myself within the place of considered one of our state and native partners who could be reading this and I couldn't see the place the product, as written on July 8, would have added any value or given them any data they could use. ... The product was not properly written," the performing secretary informed the IG's workplace, based on the report.

The delays and disruptions, although, put the workplace at risk of creating the notion of politicization, the IG report states. The IG beneficial working with the Office of the Secretary and I&A oversight entities to verify election-related reviews are in keeping with policies and tips. I&A agreed with the advice.

CNN's Marshall Cohen contributed to this report.