Declassified CIA Memo: Biden Sought to Suppress a Report on His Family’s Ties to Ukraine
A top-secret CIA memo, declassified by CIA Director John Ratcliffe after reviewing records from Biden’s vice-presidency, alleges that Vice President Joe Biden asked that a specific intelligence briefing be kept from dissemination. The document is described as a “NON-DISSEMINATED INTEL INFORMATION” file and indicates that Biden would strongly prefer the report not be disseminated. The memo also notes that Ukrainian officials were uneasy about Biden’s visits to Ukraine during the Obama era, and that Hunter Biden’s 2014 board appointment at Burisma raised questions about a perceived double-standard in U.S. politics when it comes to corruption. The file was reportedly never circulated outside the CIA at Biden’s request, and the House Oversight Committee has claimed Biden’s family and associates have taken more than $20 million from foreign entities since 2008.
In This Article:
What Kyiv Officials Said About Biden’s 2015 Kyiv Visit
The memo states that Ukrainian officials were bewildered and disappointed by Biden’s December 7–8, 2015 visit to Kyiv. After the trip, officials privately concluded that Biden had come mainly to give a generic public speech rather than to discuss substantive policy with President Poroshenko or other Ukrainian leaders. The document also notes that Poroshenko-era officials privately mused about U.S. media scrutiny of the Bidens’ ties to alleged corrupt practices in Ukraine, reflecting a perceived double-standard in U.S. politics.
Hunter Biden, Burisma, and the Perceived Double Standard
Hunter Biden joined the board of Burisma, a major Ukrainian energy company, in 2014 despite not having prior experience in the sector. Kyiv officials described this as evidence of a double-standard in how the United States handles corruption and political influence when related to a president’s family. The memo connects Hunter’s board seat to broader concerns about the Bidens’ business ties in Ukraine and how they were perceived in Washington.
Reactions and Implications: Politicization of Intelligence
John Ratcliffe described the released records as an example of politicization of intelligence. A senior CIA official said Biden’s request to limit dissemination was extremely rare and unusual, and that it was inappropriate to involve the White House for what appears to be political reasons. Biden’s team did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The memorandum’s existence and the surrounding debate add to ongoing conflicts over how political considerations intersect with intelligence sources and documents.
Timeline, Context, and Takeaway: What the Document Does (and Doesn’t) Prove
The intelligence was first collected in 2015 but the document (the memo) was created in 2016. The release highlights the debate over the politicization of intelligence and the limits of what such documents can prove about ongoing political concerns. Readers should weigh these claims against additional sources and official records to understand the broader context of U.S.–Ukraine relations and the activity of Hunter Biden’s business dealings.
