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In June 2020, Ratcliffe sought a declassification review and an unredacted copy of the [[United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence|House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence]]'s report on Russian interference from 2018. The report—owing to the presence of sensitive information—was kept in a lockbox at the [[George Bush Center for Intelligence]], the [[Central Intelligence Agency]]'s headquarters. Ratcliffe visited the facility in August to read the documents.[{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/29/us/politics/john-ratcliffe-russian-disinformation.html |title=Top Intelligence Official Releases Unverified, Previously Rejected Russia Information |date=September 29, 2020 |last1=Barnes |first1=Julian |last2=Goldman |first2=Adam |last3=Fandos |first3=Nicholas |author-link2=Adam Goldman |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=March 28, 2026}}] According to ''The New York Times'', [[Gina Haspel]], the [[director of the Central Intelligence Agency]], opposed the move, believing it could endanger sources and expose the agency's methods of gathering intelligence; Ratcliffe and [[Mark Meadows]], the [[White House Chief of Staff|White House chief of staff]], overrided her objections. The documents served as the basis for [[Clinton plan intelligence conspiracy theory|a conspiracy theory]] disparaging Clinton. Trump referenced the theory in [[2020 United States presidential debates#September 29: First presidential debate (Case Western Reserve University)|his first debate]] against [[Joe Biden]].[{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/30/us/politics/james-comey-fbi-russia-investigation.html |title=Comey Defends Russia Inquiry in Senate Testimony |date=September 30, 2020 |last1=Fandos |first1=Nicholas |last2=Schmidt |first2=Michael |author-link2=Michael S. Schmidt |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=March 28, 2026}}] |
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In June 2020, Ratcliffe sought a declassification review and an unredacted copy of the [[United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence|House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence]]'s report on Russian interference from 2018. The report—owing to the presence of sensitive information—was kept in a lockbox at the [[George Bush Center for Intelligence]], the [[Central Intelligence Agency]]'s headquarters. Ratcliffe visited the facility in August to read the documents.[{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/29/us/politics/john-ratcliffe-russian-disinformation.html |title=Top Intelligence Official Releases Unverified, Previously Rejected Russia Information |date=September 29, 2020 |last1=Barnes |first1=Julian |last2=Goldman |first2=Adam |last3=Fandos |first3=Nicholas |author-link2=Adam Goldman |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=March 28, 2026}}] According to ''The New York Times'', [[Gina Haspel]], the [[director of the Central Intelligence Agency]], opposed the move, believing it could endanger sources and expose the agency's methods of gathering intelligence; Ratcliffe and [[Mark Meadows]], the [[White House Chief of Staff|White House chief of staff]], overrided her objections. The documents served as the basis for [[Clinton plan intelligence conspiracy theory|a conspiracy theory]] disparaging Clinton. Trump referenced the theory in [[2020 United States presidential debates#September 29: First presidential debate (Case Western Reserve University)|his first debate]] against [[Joe Biden]].[{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/30/us/politics/james-comey-fbi-russia-investigation.html |title=Comey Defends Russia Inquiry in Senate Testimony |date=September 30, 2020 |last1=Fandos |first1=Nicholas |last2=Schmidt |first2=Michael |author-link2=Michael S. Schmidt |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=March 28, 2026}}] |
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In the Trump administration, Ratcliffe served as a supportive figure whom Trump trusted, particularly relative to Haspel and [[Christopher A. Wray]], the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Beginning in September, Trump ceased receiving briefings from his designated briefer, [[Beth Sanner]], instead favoring meetings with Ratcliffe multiple times per week; the shift towards Ratcliffe occurred as Trump [[Donald Trump 2020 presidential campaign|campaigned]] in the 2020 election and as [[White House COVID-19 outbreak|a COVID-19 outbreak]] within the [[White House]] spread to his allies.[{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/30/us/politics/trump-intelligence-briefings.html |title=Trump Is Said to Set Aside Career Intelligence Briefer to Hear From Advisers Instead |date=October 30, 2020 |last1=Barnes |first1=Julian |last2=Goldman |first2=Adam |author-link2=Adam Goldman |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=March 28, 2026}}] In October, ''[[Politico]]'' reported that Ratcliffe had gone off-script when he had detailed that Iranian interference in the election was intended to "damage President Trump".[{{Cite web |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/10/28/john-ratcliffe-iran-433375 |title=Ratcliffe went off script with Iran remarks, officials say |date=October 28, 2020 |last1=Bertrand |first1=Natasha |last2=Lippman |first2=Daniel |work=[[Politico]]] |access-date=March 28, 2026}} He privately promoted the assessment accusing China of influence to Trump, a claim that was later in conflict with other intelligence reports.[{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/16/us/politics/election-interference-russia-2020-assessment.html |title=Russian Interference in 2020 Included Influencing Trump Associates, Report Says |date=March 16, 2021 |last=Barnes |first=Julian |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=March 28, 2026}}] Ratcliffe's insertion of text warning about China in a classified document was deemed an "outrageous misrepresentation" of information compiled by analysts, according to Barry A. Zulauf, the analytic ombudsman in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.[{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/08/us/politics/trump-administration-politicized-election-intelligence.html |title=Trump Administration Politicized Some Intelligence on Foreign Election Influence, Report Finds |date=January 8, 2021 |last1=Barnes |first1=Julian |last2=Savage |first2=Charlie |last3=Goldman |first3=Adam |author-link2=Charlie Savage (journalist) |author-link3=Adam Goldman |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=March 28, 2026}}] |
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In the Trump administration, Ratcliffe served as a supportive figure whom Trump trusted, particularly relative to Haspel and [[Christopher A. Wray]], the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Beginning in September, Trump ceased receiving briefings from his designated briefer, [[Beth Sanner]], instead favoring meetings with Ratcliffe multiple times per week; the shift towards Ratcliffe occurred as Trump [[Donald Trump 2020 presidential campaign|campaigned]] in the 2020 election and as [[White House COVID-19 outbreak|a COVID-19 outbreak]] within the [[White House]] spread to his allies.[{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/30/us/politics/trump-intelligence-briefings.html |title=Trump Is Said to Set Aside Career Intelligence Briefer to Hear From Advisers Instead |date=October 30, 2020 |last1=Barnes |first1=Julian |last2=Goldman |first2=Adam |author-link2=Adam Goldman |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=March 28, 2026}}] In October, ''[[Politico]]'' reported that Ratcliffe had gone off-script when he had detailed that Iranian interference in the election was intended to "damage President Trump".[{{Cite web |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/10/28/john-ratcliffe-iran-433375 |title=Ratcliffe went off script with Iran remarks, officials say |date=October 28, 2020 |last1=Bertrand |first1=Natasha |last2=Lippman |first2=Daniel |work=[[Politico]] |access-date=March 28, 2026}}] Ratcliffe's insertion of text warning about China in a classified document was deemed an "outrageous misrepresentation" of information compiled by analysts, according to Barry A. Zulauf, the analytic ombudsman in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.[{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/08/us/politics/trump-administration-politicized-election-intelligence.html |title=Trump Administration Politicized Some Intelligence on Foreign Election Influence, Report Finds |date=January 8, 2021 |last1=Barnes |first1=Julian |last2=Savage |first2=Charlie |last3=Goldman |first3=Adam |author-link2=Charlie Savage (journalist) |author-link3=Adam Goldman |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=March 28, 2026}}] |
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In January 2021, Phil Waldron, a retired [[United States Army]] colonel, alleged on a podcast that Trump would be able to declare a national emergency and seize voting machines using Ratcliffe's accusations towards China. The document was delayed amid a dispute concerning China's role in the election.[{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/21/us/politics/phil-waldron-jan-6.html |title=A Retired Colonel's Unlikely Role in Pushing Baseless Election Claims |date=December 21, 2021 |last=Feuer |first=Alan |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=March 28, 2026}}] The plan was supported by Flynn. Ratcliffe and his aides were unaware of Waldron and Flynn's intentions until the [[January 6th Committee|House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol]] began investigating the claim.[{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/01/us/jan-6-panel-trump-voting-machines.html |title=Jan. 6 Panel Examining Trump's Role in Proposals to Seize Voting Machines |date=February 1, 2022 |last1=Broadwater |first1=Luke |last2=Haberman |first2=Maggie |last3=Feuer |first3=Alan |last4=Schmidt |first4=Michael |author-link1=Luke Broadwater |author-link2=Maggie Haberman |author-link4=Michael S. Schmidt |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=March 28, 2026}}] Meadows blocked Flynn's attempt to reach Ratcliffe.[{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/04/magazine/michael-flynn-2020-election.html |title=Michael Flynn Is Still at War |date=February 4, 2022 |last=Draper |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Draper |work=[[The New York Times Magazine]] |access-date=March 28, 2026}}] According to testimony from the political aide [[Cassidy Hutchinson]], Ratcliffe told her that Trump knew he lost but that he did not want to concede the election to Biden.[{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/22/us/politics/jan-6-hutchinson-testimony-transcript.html |title=Jan. 6 Witness Told Panel That Lawyer Tried to Influence Her Testimony |date=December 22, 2022 |last1=Broadwater |first1=Luke |last2=Feuer |first2=Alan |author-link1=Luke Broadwater |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=March 28, 2026}}] Ratcliffe was compelled to testify in Trump's [[Federal prosecution of Donald Trump (election obstruction case)|election obstruction case]].[{{Cite web |last1=Haberman |first1=Maggie |last2=Feuer |first2=Alan |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/24/us/politics/trump-mark-meadows-executive-privilege-jan-6.html |title=Former Trump Officials Must Testify in 2020 Election Inquiry, Judge Says |date=March 24, 2023 |author-link1=Maggie Haberman |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=June 30, 2025}}] |
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In January 2021, Phil Waldron, a retired [[United States Army]] colonel, alleged on a podcast that Trump would be able to declare a national emergency and seize voting machines using Ratcliffe's accusations towards China. The document was delayed amid a dispute concerning China's role in the election.[{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/21/us/politics/phil-waldron-jan-6.html |title=A Retired Colonel's Unlikely Role in Pushing Baseless Election Claims |date=December 21, 2021 |last=Feuer |first=Alan |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=March 28, 2026}}] The plan was supported by Flynn. Ratcliffe and his aides were unaware of Waldron and Flynn's intentions until the [[January 6th Committee|House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol]] began investigating the claim.[{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/01/us/jan-6-panel-trump-voting-machines.html |title=Jan. 6 Panel Examining Trump's Role in Proposals to Seize Voting Machines |date=February 1, 2022 |last1=Broadwater |first1=Luke |last2=Haberman |first2=Maggie |last3=Feuer |first3=Alan |last4=Schmidt |first4=Michael |author-link1=Luke Broadwater |author-link2=Maggie Haberman |author-link4=Michael S. Schmidt |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=March 28, 2026}}] Meadows blocked Flynn's attempt to reach Ratcliffe.[{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/04/magazine/michael-flynn-2020-election.html |title=Michael Flynn Is Still at War |date=February 4, 2022 |last=Draper |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Draper |work=[[The New York Times Magazine]] |access-date=March 28, 2026}}] According to testimony from the political aide [[Cassidy Hutchinson]], Ratcliffe told her that Trump knew he lost but that he did not want to concede the election to Biden.[{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/22/us/politics/jan-6-hutchinson-testimony-transcript.html |title=Jan. 6 Witness Told Panel That Lawyer Tried to Influence Her Testimony |date=December 22, 2022 |last1=Broadwater |first1=Luke |last2=Feuer |first2=Alan |author-link1=Luke Broadwater |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=March 28, 2026}}] Ratcliffe was compelled to testify in Trump's [[Federal prosecution of Donald Trump (election obstruction case)|election obstruction case]].[{{Cite web |last1=Haberman |first1=Maggie |last2=Feuer |first2=Alan |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/24/us/politics/trump-mark-meadows-executive-privilege-jan-6.html |title=Former Trump Officials Must Testify in 2020 Election Inquiry, Judge Says |date=March 24, 2023 |author-link1=Maggie Haberman |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=June 30, 2025}}] |
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