Maddow Blog-Trump appointee reportedly pressed analyst to redo intelligence the White House didn't like

[LetMyPeopleVote]

There’s a growing fear the White House and Trump appointees are potentially destabilizing the U.S. intelligence community.

Trump appointee reportedly pressed analyst to redo intelligence the White House didn't like www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddo... via @msnbc

— Richard, Democratic activist (@resist4747.bsky.social) 2025-05-19T19:32:09.515Z

Link to tweet

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-appointee-reportedly-pressed-analyst-redo-intelligence-white-hou-rcna207673

But that wasn’t the only thing that happened. Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s highly controversial and wildly unqualified national intelligence director, decided to fire the leaders of the National Intelligence Council, the office that dared to tell the White House what it didn’t want to hear.

In case this weren’t quite enough, The New York Times reported on some previously undisclosed behind-the-scenes details that appeared to take the controversy to a new direction.

A top adviser to the director of national intelligence ordered a senior analyst to redo an assessment of the relationship between Venezuela’s government and a gang after intelligence findings undercut the White House’s justification for deporting migrants, according to officials.

The original intelligence assessment reportedly came together in late February. According to the Times’ new reporting, which has not been independently verified by MSNBC or NBC News, it was in March when Joe Kent — Gabbard’s acting chief of staff and the president’s conspiratorial nominee to lead the National Counterterrorism Center — “told a senior intelligence analyst to do a new assessment of the relationship between Venezuela’s government and the gang.”

In other words, the council analyzed the classified intelligence and provided a reality-based assessment. Soon after, members of Trump’s team, unsatisfied with the available facts, effectively asked them to do it again......

The developments come against a backdrop of Trump ignoring intelligence briefings and reports, as he moves forward with a “major downsizing” at U.S. intelligence agencies. Let’s also not forget that the president recently fired the leadership of the National Security Agency, a key intelligence gathering department, as well as the National Security Council’s director for intelligence.

What we’re confronting, in other words, is the White House and presidential appointees aren’t just feuding with the U.S. intelligence community, they're also potentially destabilizing the U.S. intelligence community.

There’s no shortage of scandals that have unfolded since Trump returned to power four months ago, but this absolutely belongs on the list.

[pansypoo53219]

1. fake intelligence for the fake president. what could go wrong.