Changes

The fact that the early leaks appeared in the British press suggested that the source might have been British intelligence. The National Security Agency may share data with GCHQ, a British intelligence agency, to evade U.S. legal restrictions regarding the handling of such data.<ref>"[http://www.dailywire.com/news/14394/bombshell-fox-news-sources-say-obama-used-brits-john-nolte BOMBSHELL: Fox News Sources Say Obama Used Brits To Spy On Donald Trump].", ''DailyWire,'' March 14, 2017.</ref> The Obama administration's wiretaps against the Trump campaign were first reported by the British news site ''Heat Street'' on November 7, 2016.<ref>"[https://heatst.com/world/exclusive-fbi-granted-fisa-warrant-covering-trump-camps-ties-to-russia/ EXCLUSIVE: FBI ‘Granted FISA Warrant’ Covering Trump Camp’s Ties To Russia]," ''Heat Street'', Nov. 7, 2016.</ref> On January 12, 2017 the BBC suggested that the investigation of the Trump campaign was orchestrated by CIA Director John Brennan.<ref>"[https://spectator.org/all-roads-lead-back-to-brennan/ All Roads Lead Back to Brennan]," ''American Spectator'', March 6, 2017.</ref><ref>"Their first application, in June, was rejected outright by the judge. They returned with a more narrowly drawn order in July and were rejected again. Finally, before a new judge, the order was granted, on 15 October, three weeks before election day," according to the BBC. "[http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38589427 Trump 'compromising' claims: How and why did we get here?]", BBC, Jan. 12, 2017.</ref>

The fact that the early leaks appeared in the British press suggested that the source might have been British intelligence. The National Security Agency may share data with GCHQ, a British intelligence agency, to evade U.S. legal restrictions regarding the handling of such data.<ref>"[http://www.dailywire.com/news/14394/bombshell-fox-news-sources-say-obama-used-brits-john-nolte BOMBSHELL: Fox News Sources Say Obama Used Brits To Spy On Donald Trump].", ''DailyWire,'' March 14, 2017.</ref> The Obama administration's wiretaps against the Trump campaign were first reported by the British news site ''Heat Street'' on November 7, 2016.<ref>"[https://heatst.com/world/exclusive-fbi-granted-fisa-warrant-covering-trump-camps-ties-to-russia/ EXCLUSIVE: FBI ‘Granted FISA Warrant’ Covering Trump Camp’s Ties To Russia]," ''Heat Street'', Nov. 7, 2016.</ref> On January 12, 2017 the BBC suggested that the investigation of the Trump campaign was orchestrated by CIA Director John Brennan.<ref>"[https://spectator.org/all-roads-lead-back-to-brennan/ All Roads Lead Back to Brennan]," ''American Spectator'', March 6, 2017.</ref><ref>"Their first application, in June, was rejected outright by the judge. They returned with a more narrowly drawn order in July and were rejected again. Finally, before a new judge, the order was granted, on 15 October, three weeks before election day," according to the BBC. "[http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38589427 Trump 'compromising' claims: How and why did we get here?]", BBC, Jan. 12, 2017.</ref>

On January 5, 2017 the Office of National Intelligence issued a report written by Brennan entitled, "Assessing Russian Activities and Intentions in Recent US Elections.”<ref>The declassified version is "[https://www.dni.gov/files/documents/ICA_2017_01.pdf Background to “Assessing Russian Activities and Intentions in Recent US Elections”: The Analytic Process and Cyber Incident Attribution]"</ref> To justify surveillance, Trump associates had to have been labeled "agents of a foreign power" in order to hoax the FISA court. In the last days of the Obama administration, procedures were revised to give more analysts access to the raw data. Under previous presidents, this provision applied only to the National Security Agency<ref>According to Executive Order 12333 issued by President [[Ronald Reagan]] in December 1981, "Elements of the Intelligence Community are authorized to collect, retain, or disseminate information concerning United States persons...obtained in the course of a lawful foreign intelligence, counterintelligence, international drug or international terrorism investigation." Thus the U.S. intelligence community can perform surveillance without a warrant as long as the target of the investigation is, at least nominally, something other than a "U.S. person. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/meet-executive-order-12333-the-reagan-rule-that-lets-the-nsa-spy-on-americans/2014/07/18/93d2ac22-0b93-11e4-b8e5-d0de80767fc2_story.html Meet Executive Order 12333: The Reagan rule that lets the NSA spy on Americans]", ''Washington Post'', July 18, 2014.</ref> In the last days of the Obama administration, access to surveillance data was expanded to encompass all 17 U.S. intelligence agencies.<ref>"[https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/12/us/politics/nsa-gets-more-latitude-to-share-intercepted-communications.html?_r=0 N.S.A. Gets More Latitude to Share Intercepted Communications]", ''New York Times, Jan. 12, 2017.</ref><ref>Saagar Enjeti, "[http://dailycaller.com/2017/03/09/how-are-all-these-intel-leaks-happening-look-at-one-of-the-last-things-obama-did-before-leaving-office/ How Are All These Intel Leaks Happening? Look At One Of The Last Things Obama Did Before Leaving Office]," ''Daily Caller,'' 03/09/2017.</ref> These developments were followed by a series of leaks that disregarded privacy rights.

On January 5, 2017 the Office of National Intelligence issued a report written by Brennan entitled, "Assessing Russian Activities and Intentions in Recent US Elections.”<ref>The declassified version is "[https://www.dni.gov/files/documents/ICA_2017_01.pdf Background to “Assessing Russian Activities and Intentions in Recent US Elections”: The Analytic Process and Cyber Incident Attribution]"</ref> To justify surveillance, Trump associates were labeled "agents of a foreign power" in order to hoax the FISA court. In the last days of the Obama administration, procedures were revised to give more analysts access to the raw data. Under previous presidents, this provision applied only to the National Security Agency<ref>According to Executive Order 12333 issued by President [[Ronald Reagan]] in December 1981, "Elements of the Intelligence Community are authorized to collect, retain, or disseminate information concerning United States persons...obtained in the course of a lawful foreign intelligence, counterintelligence, international drug or international terrorism investigation." Thus the U.S. intelligence community can perform surveillance without a warrant as long as the target of the investigation is, at least nominally, something other than a "U.S. person. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/meet-executive-order-12333-the-reagan-rule-that-lets-the-nsa-spy-on-americans/2014/07/18/93d2ac22-0b93-11e4-b8e5-d0de80767fc2_story.html Meet Executive Order 12333: The Reagan rule that lets the NSA spy on Americans]", ''Washington Post'', July 18, 2014.</ref> In the last days of the Obama administration, access to surveillance data was expanded to encompass all 17 U.S. intelligence agencies.<ref>"[https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/12/us/politics/nsa-gets-more-latitude-to-share-intercepted-communications.html?_r=0 N.S.A. Gets More Latitude to Share Intercepted Communications]", ''New York Times, Jan. 12, 2017.</ref><ref>Saagar Enjeti, "[http://dailycaller.com/2017/03/09/how-are-all-these-intel-leaks-happening-look-at-one-of-the-last-things-obama-did-before-leaving-office/ How Are All These Intel Leaks Happening? Look At One Of The Last Things Obama Did Before Leaving Office]," ''Daily Caller,'' 03/09/2017.</ref> These developments were followed by a series of leaks that disregarded privacy rights.

On January 17, 2017 ''McClatchy News'' reported that an informal, interagency group had been working for months on the issue of Russian attempts to influence the the election. The group included representatives of the FBI, the CIA, the National Security Agency, the Justice Department, the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network and the office of the director of national intelligence.<ref>"[http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/article127231799.html#storylink=cpy FBI, 5 other agencies probe possible covert Kremlin aid to Trump]", ''McClatchy,'' January 18, 2017.</ref> The day before inauguration ''The New York Times'' reported that the White House was directly involved in the investigation: “… wiretapped communications had been provided to the (Obama) White House.”<ref>"[https://www.rushlimbaugh.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/NY-Times-FP-012017.jpg Wiretapped data used in inquiry of Trump aides; Examining Russian Ties; Business dealings of Campaign Advisers are investigated]." ''New York Times'', January 20, 2017. On the NYT website, the headline is given as “[https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/19/us/politics/trump-russia-associates-investigation.html Intercepted Russian Communications Part of Inquiry Into Trump Associates].”</ref><ref>"[http://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2017/03/05/new-york-times-trashes-its-own-reporting-on-obama-admin-wiretapping/ New York Times Trashes Its Own Reporting on Obama Admin Wiretapping], ''Breitbart'', 5 Mar 2017.</ref>

On January 17, 2017 ''McClatchy News'' reported that an informal, interagency group had been working for months on the issue of Russian attempts to influence the the election. The group included representatives of the FBI, the CIA, the National Security Agency, the Justice Department, the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network and the office of the director of national intelligence.<ref>"[http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/article127231799.html#storylink=cpy FBI, 5 other agencies probe possible covert Kremlin aid to Trump]", ''McClatchy,'' January 18, 2017.</ref> The day before inauguration ''The New York Times'' reported that the White House was directly involved in the investigation: “… wiretapped communications had been provided to the (Obama) White House.”<ref>"[https://www.rushlimbaugh.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/NY-Times-FP-012017.jpg Wiretapped data used in inquiry of Trump aides; Examining Russian Ties; Business dealings of Campaign Advisers are investigated]." ''New York Times'', January 20, 2017. On the NYT website, the headline is given as “[https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/19/us/politics/trump-russia-associates-investigation.html Intercepted Russian Communications Part of Inquiry Into Trump Associates].”</ref><ref>"[http://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2017/03/05/new-york-times-trashes-its-own-reporting-on-obama-admin-wiretapping/ New York Times Trashes Its Own Reporting on Obama Admin Wiretapping], ''Breitbart'', 5 Mar 2017.</ref>