Much attention has shifted recently towards Mike Morell, the former Acting CIA Director, who has played a pivotal role in shaping U.S. political narratives during crucial elections, JustTheNews reported.
Morell's actions were aimed at discrediting Donald Trump by connecting him to Russian influences in both the 2016 and 2020 electoral contexts.
During the 2016 presidential campaign, Morell emerged as a vocal supporter of Hillary Clinton, going so far as to author a significant op-ed that not only endorsed Hillary Clinton but also denounced Trump as a potential national security threat due to alleged ties to Russia.
The Clinton campaign, as revelations have shown, saw potential in Morell’s outspoken stance. Top advisors were involved in orchestrating narratives that posited Trump as a puppet to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
This maneuver was intended as a diversion from Clinton’s own controversies surrounding her email usage. Official records later revealed that these strategies were rooted in what was termed the “Clinton Plan intelligence,” aimed at fostering a connection in public perception between Trump and the Kremlin.
More than 50 former national security officials signed onto a letter, initiated by Morell, that propagated the theory of Trump’s alliances with Russian interests, which many saw as an attempt to bolster the Clinton campaign's position by drawing on Morell’s credibility.
By 2017, Morell had publicly stated in an interview with The New York Times that his decision to enter the political fray was made independently. "I made the decision to speak out entirely on my own, with no other consideration given any thought," said Morell, contradicting claims that his actions were coordinated with the Clinton campaign.
Jennifer Palmieri, Clinton’s communications director at the time, recalled the shock within the campaign's Brooklyn headquarters upon reading Morell’s forceful op-ed. “I remember my jaw dropping…,” Palmieri reflected in a 2017 Washington Post piece.
Moreover, Morell’s accusations found further echo in the Senate, with Minority Leader Harry Reid using them in a letter to the FBI regarding concerns of Russian interference in the election process.
Donald Trump responded to Morell’s accusations by dismissing him as a "lightweight" and a "total Clinton flunky" on social media platforms, highlighting the contentious nature of Morell's involvement.
Hillary Clinton, on her part, leveraged Morell’s statements during speeches, including one at Kent State University on Halloween in 2016, where she portrayed Trump as being susceptible to Putin’s influence due to his flattery tactics.
Morell’s narrative continued to play a significant role in the discourse as Clinton emphasized, "Putin knows he can use flattery to get into Donald's head — to make Donald the Kremlin's puppet. And it seems to be working."
Morell's role didn’t just stop with the 2016 elections; it carried forward to 2020 when the Hunter Biden laptop controversy surfaced. He led a call for transparency in a letter mirroring the earlier structure used against Trump, trying to cast doubts about the authenticity and implications of the laptop's contents.
John Durham’s report later discussed intercepted communications allegedly part of the strategized smear against Trump by the Clinton campaign, further complicating the narrative around the interventions by former national security officials like Morell.
This array of interventions by Morell has provided a rich case study in how intelligence figures can influence electoral politics and public opinion, raising questions about the intersection of government authority and political campaigning.
