The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) will stop providing in-person briefings on election security and foreign interference to Congress, according to congressional and intelligence officials, and instead will provide “primarily” written updates ahead of the November election.
An ODNI official told CBS News the change was being made out of concern over leaks that resulted from prior, unspecified congressional briefings, and in an effort to protect sensitive intelligence. The official said Director of National Intelligence (DNI) John Ratcliffe ordered the change, which prompted immediate condemnation from senior Democratic lawmakers.
In a letter to several congressional offices dated August 28 that was obtained by CBS News, Ratcliffe said he believed written briefings would help “ensure, to the maximum extent possible, that the information ODNI provides the Congress in support of your oversight responsibilities on elections security, foreign malign influence, and election interference is not misunderstood nor politicized.”
