5 key takeaways from latest 'Russiagate' revelations: 'This was treason'

2. John Brennan reportedly overrules senior intelligence officials: ‘Very politicized inquiry’

Former CIA Director John Brennan overruled senior intelligence officials who raised concerns regarding the key claim in the January 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) that Russia intervened in the 2016 presidential election to help Trump, according to documents reviewed by reporter Mollie Hemingway at The Federalist.

Intelligence experts within the CIA, FBI and Office of the Director of National Intelligence expressed concerns during the drafting of the ICA, noting there was no direct intelligence to substantiate its claim. Despite objections, Brennan reportedly dismissed such concerns during a heated meeting on Dec. 30, 2016.

A subsequent CIA review criticized the ICA's rushed timeline, limited access to underlying intelligence and the inflated confidence level assigned to it despite reservations from top officials.

The records also indicated Brennan selectively shared the intelligence with Congress, which prompted skepticism from then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who came to believe it was politically motivated and an attempt to undermine Trump.