Biden asked CIA to withhold Ukraine intel linking family to 'corruption': Report
WASHINGTON, DC: Newly declassified records reveal that then–Vice President Joe Biden, in 2015, asked the CIA not to disseminate an intelligence report detailing Ukrainian officials’ concerns about his family’s business connections in the country.
According to a declassified email dated February 10, 2016, Biden “strongly preferred” that the intelligence not be shared. The CIA later confirmed that the report was indeed withheld following Biden’s request.
The document, released by CIA Director John Ratcliffe, was among several records uncovered during a historical review by the agency, Fox News Digital reported.
Ratcliffe described the findings as an example of “politicization of intelligence,” noting how unusual it was for a senior political official to intervene in the dissemination of intelligence material.
Report flagged Joe Biden family’s alleged ties to corruption
The intelligence report, marked “SECRET” and titled “NON-DISSEMINATED INTEL INFORMATION: Reactions of [REDACTED] Ukrainian Government Officials to the Early December Visit of Senior United States Government Official,” summarized reactions from Ukrainian officials following Biden’s December 2015 visit to Kyiv.
It stated that officials in then-President Petro Poroshenko’s administration privately expressed concern that he avoided substantive discussions during his trip, despite earlier expectations.
The report also noted that Ukrainian officials “viewed the alleged ties of Biden’s family to corruption in Ukraine as evidence of a double-standard within the United States Government towards matters of corruption and political power.”
Joe Biden’s anti-corruption speech and Burisma connection
During his 2015 visit, Biden delivered a speech in Kyiv emphasizing anti-corruption reforms, calling for greater transparency in Ukraine’s energy sector and accountability among senior officials.
At the time, however, Ukrainian Prosecutor Viktor Shokin was investigating Burisma Holdings, a natural gas company that had Hunter Biden on its board, where he was earning tens of thousands of dollars per month.
In early 2016, Biden pressured Ukraine to dismiss Shokin, threatening to withhold $1 billion in US aid unless he was removed. Biden later publicly recounted that exchange, saying he told Ukrainian officials: “If the prosecutor is not fired, you’re not getting the money.”
Declassified records highlight intelligence suppression
The newly surfaced email, sent by a “PDB briefer” referencing the Presidential Daily Brief, explicitly stated, “Good morning, I just spoke with VP/NSA and he would strongly prefer the report not/not be disseminated.”
A senior CIA official told Fox News Digital the suppression was “extremely rare and unusual,” adding that it was “inappropriate to go outside the intelligence community and inquire with the White House on the dissemination of a particular report for what appears to be political reasons.”
The declassified file also carried a stern warning limiting distribution and prohibiting any reference to the report without prior authorization.
Ratcliffe said the episode underscores the need for transparency and reforms to prevent political interference in intelligence matters.
“Director Ratcliffe believes this is an example of politicization of intelligence that we need to work to eliminate,” a senior official said. “We will release information and avoid any future weaponization of the intelligence community.”
Representatives for former President Biden have not yet commented on the revelation.
