Trump Grants Acting Spy Chief Authority to Declassify Records, Including 2020 Election Documents
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that his acting director of national intelligence has broad permission to declassify records, including any related to the 2020 presidential election. The move comes despite the interim appointment of Bill Pulte, a political loyalist with no prior national security experience, who is expected to serve only a short term.
Trump appointed Pulte as acting director last month, elevating him amid ongoing global tensions and war. Following criticism over the pick, Trump nominated Manhattan top federal prosecutor Jay Clayton for the permanent position but postponed his confirmation hearing to pressure Congress into passing a strict voter identification bill.
“Bill’s there, just, you know, for maybe a month or two months or something,” Trump told reporters before departing for an event in North Dakota. “But while he’s there, I said, ‘You can declassify whatever you want.’” When asked if that included records related to the 2020 election, Trump added: “I told him you could do it, it’s fair. You got to ask him.”
Trump, who won a second term in 2024 after losing in 2020, has repeatedly made unsubstantiated claims of widespread election fraud. His comments align with a White House task force reportedly gathering documents on the 2020 election for potential declassification.
A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “As the most transparent president in history, President Trump is totally committed to sharing as much information with the public as possible.” The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) and the office of Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton did not respond to requests for comment.
The ODNI oversees 18 U.S. intelligence agencies, including the CIA and NSA. Pulte currently also leads the Federal Housing Finance Agency and will remain as acting DNI until Clayton is confirmed. Reports indicate Pulte has already moved to cut hundreds of intelligence jobs.
Trump has pushed the SAVE Act, a voter identification bill, which he says would guarantee Republican wins in the upcoming midterm elections. Democrats and voting rights advocates argue the measure could hinder voter registration for millions of eligible Americans.
On Tuesday, Trump met with Tina Peters, a former Colorado county elections clerk convicted of tampering with voting machines in pursuit of false claims about the 2020 election. Representatives for Peters did not respond to requests for comment.
