Newly declassified FBI interview records have revived allegations that Senator Adam Schiff authorized the leaking of classified information during the height of the Trump–Russia investigation.
According to documents obtained by Just The News, an unidentified whistleblower — described as a Democratic intelligence officer who worked for the House Intelligence Committee — repeatedly told the FBI between 2017 and 2023 that Schiff approved leaks of classified material in an effort to politically damage then-President Donald Trump. At the time, Schiff was the ranking House Democrat on the committee and later became its chairman.
The whistleblower alleged that Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California was likely the direct source of the leaks, which they said were aimed at advancing the so-called “Russiagate” narrative.
“When working in this capacity, [redacted staffer’s name] was called to an all-staff meeting by SCHIFF,” one FBI interview summary states. “In this meeting, SCHIFF stated the group would leak classified information which was derogatory to President of the United States DONALD J. TRUMP. SCHIFF stated the information would be used to indict President TRUMP.”
Swalwell has denied any such implication and cast aspersions at FBI Director Kash Patel.
The whistleblower also told agents that Schiff had been promised the position of CIA Director if Hillary Clinton won the 2016 presidential election. That promise never materialized after Clinton’s loss, but the whistleblower claims Schiff continued to push for leaks that would undermine Trump’s presidency.
The same source claimed they personally witnessed Schiff approve such leaks and raised their concerns to federal authorities. However, according to the declassified records, Justice Department officials showed little interest in pursuing a probe into Schiff’s alleged conduct. The whistleblower says they were abruptly terminated from their position after alerting the FBI.
These newly public claims appear to track with past reporting by conservative outlets such as The Gateway Pundit, which has long documented Schiff’s media leaks during the Trump–Russia inquiry.
The allegations gained another dimension Monday when investigative journalist Paul Sperry of RealClearInvestigations suggested that Schiff’s leaks may have been funneled to Washington Post national security reporter Ellen Nakashima. Sperry pointed to past reporting that described Nakashima as a key media contact for senior intelligence officials, including former CIA Director John Brennan, during the early years of the Russiagate controversy.
Declassified records reviewed by Sperry indicate that Brennan and other intelligence figures used Nakashima to plant at least three major news stories related to the Russia investigation. Those stories, published between 2016 and 2017, helped shape the public perception that Trump’s campaign was under serious suspicion of collusion with Moscow — a narrative that persisted for years despite Special Counsel Robert Mueller ultimately finding insufficient evidence of a criminal conspiracy.
Critics argue that if Schiff indeed authorized the leaking of classified material to the press, it would represent a serious breach of national security and a potential criminal offense. The Intelligence Committee’s work often involves access to highly sensitive information, and its members are bound by law to protect classified data from unauthorized disclosure.
So far, Schiff’s office has not issued a public response to the latest allegations. In the past, he has denied leaking classified information, accusing his critics of attempting to discredit legitimate oversight of the Trump administration.
The revelations also underscore longstanding partisan disputes over how intelligence and law enforcement powers were used during the 2016 election and its aftermath.
Whether the new disclosures will result in any formal charges remains unclear. For now, the most explosive charge is that the decision to leak classified material was not the act of a rogue staffer, but, according to the whistleblower, was explicitly approved in a committee-wide meeting led by Schiff himself. If substantiated, such an allegation could have significant legal and political repercussions, particularly given Schiff’s current role as a U.S. senator.
