When asked whether former Obama administration officials should face legal consequences for their roles in the Russiagate misinformation campaign, Vice President JD Vance wasted little time delivering his verdict: “You’re going to see a lot of people get indicted.” Speaking on Sunday Morning Futures on August 10, 2025, Vance cited recent disclosures by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and FBI Director Kash Patel as “unambiguous evidence” of systemic misconduct that weaponized U.S. intelligence to destabilize the Trump presidency. This confrontation over accountability implicates senior Obama-era officials, Republican dissenters within the intelligence community, and the foundational trust in American democratic institutions.
A pattern of fabrication: From campaign talking points to "intelligence"
Vance’s indictment predictions hinge on Gabbard’s July 18 declassification of documents showing Obama administration officials altered raw intelligence to align with Hillary Clinton’s electoral narrative. “They turned Clinton’s campaign talking points into intelligence,” Vance said, accusing agencies of systematically amplifying dubious claims while suppressing contradictory evidence.
Key among the alleged violations was misuse of Christopher Steele’s discredited Steele Dossier — a collection of unverified assertions about Donald Trump and Russian ties. Despite Special Counsel John Durham’s 2023 report finding the FBI “did not and could not corroborate” the dossier’s premises, Vance argues Clinton allies leveraged it to advance unfounded claims of Russian collusion.
