The Department of Justice has declassified and transmitted the formerly classified appendix to Special Counsel John Durham’s 2023 report to the Senate Judiciary Committee, following a formal request from Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA). The release comes amid mounting pressure from the Trump administration for maximum transparency and follows a series of related disclosures from top intelligence officials.
The newly released appendix is available on the Senate Judiciary Committee’s website.
“This Department of Justice, alongside the CIA, is committed to truth and transparency and will continue to support good-faith efforts by Congress to hold our government accountable,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi in a statement.
According to the appendix, intelligence officials had information suggesting the Clinton campaign aimed to link Donald Trump to Russian operatives. The FBI was aware of the plan but did not conduct a meaningful investigation or alert oversight bodies. The document also points to instances where politically sensitive material appears to have been leaked to the press during the transition period after the 2016 election.
Top Officials Confirm Coordination and Failure to Act
CIA Director John Ratcliffe, who collaborated with the DOJ on the declassification, stated:
“Today, CIA and the Department of Justice under Attorney General Pam Bondi are taking a bold step forward in declassifying the underlying intelligence in the Durham appendix showing the false Trump-Russia collusion narrative for what it was – a coordinated plan to prevent and destroy Donald Trump’s presidency. CIA stands with the Department and is committed to transparency and rebuilding trust in the IC.”
FBI Director Kash Patel also praised the move and reiterated the Bureau’s role in reviewing concealed intelligence related to the probe.
“The American people deserve the full, unfiltered truth about the Russia collusion hoax and the political abuse of our justice system it exposed,” said Patel. “Today’s declassification and release of documents tied to the Durham report is another step toward that accountability. The FBI will continue working with our federal partners to uncover facts that should have been brought to light years ago.”
Background: Shift from Collusion to Fabrication
The declassification follows Patel’s prior discovery of “burn bags” filled with Trump-Russia probe documents hidden in a secure room at FBI headquarters. The existence of the appendix—now available for public inspection—adds weight to claims that key elements of the Trump-Russia investigation were based on flawed or knowingly misleading information.
According to the Durham report and its newly released appendix, top intelligence officials under the Obama administration, including CIA Director John Brennan and FBI leadership, were briefed in July 2016 on intelligence suggesting that the Clinton campaign had approved a plan to “vilify Donald Trump by stirring up a scandal claiming interference by Russian security services.”
Yet no formal investigation into that plan was ever opened, and some officials proceeded to endorse the now-discredited Steele Dossier in briefings with the FISA court and Congress.
Grassley: “Sunlight is the Best Disinfectant”
Chairman Chuck Grassley, who has led Senate efforts to expose abuse of the intelligence system, stated:
“For years, I’ve fought to make the facts public. These documents shed light on the troubling failure of the FBI and intelligence agencies to respond appropriately to known political interference. This should concern every American, regardless of political affiliation.”
Grassley also confirmed that additional related documents remain under DOJ review for potential release.
A Historic Narrative Reversal
The declassified Durham appendix has added a new dimension to the ongoing review of the Trump-Russia investigation. Rather than focusing solely on foreign interference, attention is now turning toward what some describe as a coordinated effort within the U.S. government to shape public perception around a false narrative.
Critics of the original probe contend that law enforcement and intelligence agencies abandoned political neutrality, allowing partisan motives to drive decisions—ranging from media briefings to surveillance requests and years of costly investigation.
The Dallas Express will continue to monitor and report on further declassifications, potential criminal referrals, and developments stemming from the DOJ’s internal strike force investigation into intelligence misconduct.