Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard revealed explosive details from a newly declassified House Intelligence Committee report that suggests Russian intelligence had sensitive information about Hillary Clinton’s health and mental state during her 2016 presidential campaign — but chose not to release it, expecting her to win the election.
According to the report, which was declassified on Wednesday, Russia’s SVR intelligence agency had obtained internal Democratic Party communications indicating that Clinton suffered from what were described as “intensified psycho-emotional issues.” The information allegedly included descriptions of frequent emotional instability, such as outbursts of anger and shifts in mood, which were reportedly treated with strong sedatives.
Allegations of Concealed Health Conditions
The committee report — based on interviews with intelligence officials and FBI agents — claims Clinton was being treated for a range of health conditions, including Type 2 diabetes, ischemic heart disease, deep vein thrombosis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It also alleges that high-ranking Democratic officials and even then-President Barack Obama were aware of her deteriorating condition and feared it could negatively affect her performance against Donald Trump in the 2016 election.
Despite allegedly having access to this information, Russian President Vladimir Putin is said to have held back from leaking it, anticipating Clinton’s victory and wishing to avoid retaliation from a potential Clinton administration.
Strategic Political Tactics Alleged
The report also refers to an email reportedly obtained by Russian intelligence, in which Clinton campaign staff discussed a plan to link Trump to Russian hackers in an effort to divert public attention from her private email server scandal.
“These revelations point to an elaborate strategy by Clinton’s team to manage both public perception and internal concerns about her health,” Gabbard stated during a press briefing.
She further asserted that the Obama administration was involved in framing the Russia-Trump narrative to undermine Trump’s legitimacy following his electoral victory.
Senate Reaction and Ongoing Debate
Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) echoed Gabbard’s concerns on Thursday, claiming the newly released material offers further proof that Clinton was medicated during her time in office and that voters were misled.
Critics of the Clinton campaign have long speculated about her health, particularly following a highly publicized fainting episode during a 9/11 memorial service in 2016. At the time, her team said she had been diagnosed with pneumonia.
The release of this report adds new fuel to the longstanding political dispute over foreign election interference, media transparency, and public health disclosures by candidates.