The U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence has proceeded cautiously, issuing no public statements and declining to answer questions about the review’s structure or how long it will take.
WASHINGTON — The discovery of hundreds of classified records at Donald Trump's home has thrust U.S. intelligence agencies into a familiar and uncomfortable role as the foil of a former president who demanded they support his agenda and at times accused officers of treason.
The ODNI review will try to determine the possible damage if the secrets in those documents were to be exposed. It has not said if it's investigating whether documents already have been exposed. Damage assessments have specific requirements under intelligence community guidelines published online, including an estimate of “actual or potential damage to U.S. national security,” the identification of “specific weaknesses or vulnerabilities” and “detailed, actionable recommendations to prevent future occurrences.”
Lawmakers in both parties are calling for briefings from the intelligence community. None is known to have been scheduled. The ODNI supervises the drafting of the President's Daily Brief, the distillation of top American intelligence provided to Biden and top advisers daily. Haines is the president's principal intelligence adviser and often briefs Biden in the Oval Office along with other national security leaders.