US official claims pressure to downplay intelligence reports

Senior intelligence official at the US department of homeland security has said he was pressured by the agency’s leadership to downplay the threat of Russian election interference as it made the president look bad”.

In a whistle-blower complaint, Brian Murphy said he was demoted for refusing to alter reports on this and other issues, including white supremacy.

He said the directives were illegal, he claims.

The white house and department of homeland security denied the claims.

The complaint was released by the democrat-led house intelligence committee, which has asked Mr Murphy to testify to congress later in the month.

The whistle-blower reprisal complaint, filed sets out a number of allegations against former homeland security secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, current acting secretary chad wolf and his deputy Ken Cuccinelli.