Subject thread: "(U) Note to Election Threat 45 day ICA China Section Drafting Team" (p.1).
p.1Email — NSA "Deliberately Massaged" Pending Election PDB (20 November 2020)
Internal IC email chainNov 20, 20208 pagesEMAIL_NSA.MassagedPDB_20NOV2020_DECLASS_REDACT.pdf
Declassified by President Trump 3 July 2026
Key Insights
AI-generated from the sourced claims — verify against the documents.
The NIO — Cyber writes that this is part of a broader pattern 'that the IC is deliberately avoiding mentioning a connection to elections for non-substantive reasons' and calls it a highly irregular way to do things.
The Director, Election Threat Analysis writes: 'Their PDB isn't going to tie to the election? The mind boggles.'
Senior ODNI recipients discuss 'an opportunity to prevent an analytic objectivity mistake from happening' and who the decision maker would be 'to reconnect the thread on election security to what is about to go out.'
8 sourced claims
Senior ODNI recipients (Chief of Solutions Group ODNI/DMI/MPAC; Executive Secretary, National Intelligence Analysis Board and National Intelligence Collection Board; IC Analytic Ombudsman) discuss "an opportunity to prevent an analytic objectivity mistake from happening" and who the decision maker would be "to reconnect the thread on election security to what is about to go out" (p.1).
p.1The NIO — Cyber (ODNI/National Intelligence Council) writes this is a good example of a broader pattern "that the IC is deliberately avoiding mentioning a connection to elections for non-substantive reasons" and calls it a highly irregular way to do things (p.2).
p.2Note that since the [report] isn't released yet — being held until next week — there isn't a PDB yet (p.2).
p.2Signature block quote: "The spice must flow" (p.2).
p.2A drafter states there is pending [reporting] making it clear "China has been caught conducting election influence," and quotes that "NSA is 'deliberately massaged our one pending PDB to avoid any direct links to the election'" (p.2).
p.2The Director, Election Threat Analysis (National Intelligence Council/DNI Election Threat Executive) writes: "Their PDB isn't going to tie to the election? The mind boggles" (p.3).
p.3A Strategic Intelligence Analyst (NSA, China & North Korea Strategic Assessments) writes on 20 Nov: "We have deliberately massaged our one pending PDB to avoid any direct links to the election. The massive report we have been waiting on has been chopped up into 13 reports that likely will not get out until late next week," to be cross-posted/downgraded for incorporation into the 45-day piece (p.5).
p.5Page evidence
Email — NSA "Deliberately Massaged" Pending Election PDB (20 November 2020) · p.2
Page OCR text
Classified By: Derived From: Declassify On: | think | mentioned to you before that there is some pending a that makes it clear China has been caught conducting election influence. At least that’s how it was described to us. But as you scroll up, note that NSA is “deliberately massaged our one pending PDB to avoid any direct links to the election.” While this is important for your report I’m sure, it also has the potential to be a near-term issue we will need to draw attention to. This is a really good example, but far from the only one, of what I’ve been raising since the summer—that the IC is deliberately avoiding mentioning a connection to elections for non-substantive reasons. Obviously since the Ml isn’t released yet—they’re holding it until next week—there isn’t a PDB so maybe it won't end up being an issue. But this is a highly irregular way to do things, especially as someone trying to raise tradecraft and substantive objections to the mainline analysis and isn’t getting our work incorporated or even mentioned. National Intelligence Officer - Cyber ODNI/National Intelligence Council — unclass Unclass email: ne Tandberg: a “The spice must flow.” From: i © cr Sent: Friday, November 20, 2020 10:48 AM © - Subject: FW: (U) Note to Election Threat 45 day ICA China Section Drafting Team Classified By: Derived From: Declassify On:
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