More than 50 ex-intel officials claimed the laptop had 'all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation'
Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has no regrets signing the now-infamous open letter heavily suggesting the Hunter Biden laptop was Russian disinformation.
Panetta was among the dozens of former intelligence officials sounding the alarm on Russia's interference in the 2020 presidential election after the New York Post published its bombshell reporting about then-candidate Joe Biden's son, shedding light on shady foreign business dealings.
After several news organizations authenticated the laptop's contents, CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins asked the ex-Obama official Monday night whether he wished he never signed the letter "given what we know now."
Former CIA Director Leon Panetta says he doesn't regret signing the infamous open letter pushing the Russian disinformation narrative about the Hunter Biden laptop during an interview with CNN's Kaitlan Collins. (Screenshot/CNN)
"No, not at all," Panetta told Collins. "I signed that letter for one reason, which was to make the American people aware that the Russians deliberately were engaged in a disinformation campaign in the United States and trying to impact on our election and trying to impact on our ability to have free and fair elections. That's why I signed that letter."
The ex-CIA director continued, "And very frankly, I have seen no evidence to the contrary that Russia has not engaged in that kind of disinformation campaign.
"Right, but we just haven't seen evidence affirming that either," Collins added before wrapping up the interview.
Several news organizations verified the contents of the Hunter Biden laptop after they all promoted the Russian disinformation narrative. (Getty images | New York Post)
Former CIA officer David Priess took a similar stance when pressed on signing the letter during an interview with Fox News' Bret Baier last fall.
During the 2020 election, Politico famously ran the headline, "Hunter Biden story is Russian disinfo, dozens of former intel officials say."
The report authored by Natasha Bertrand, now a CNN reporter who was one of the legacy media's most enthusiastic Russiagate boosters, highlighted an open letter signed by "more than 50 former senior intelligence officials" who insisted that the published emails from the laptop had "all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation."
The letter, which was parroted by much of the media, baselessly suggested the emails were hacked and could have been tampered with by the Kremlin in order to make its contents look incriminating.
Signatories of that letter in addition to Panetta included outspoken Trump critics John Brennan, James Clapper, Michael Hayden and Jeremy Bash, many of whom can be often found on MSNBC and CNN.
Questions continue to swirl whether President Biden had any involvement in his son Hunter's foreign business dealings. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Nearly three years later, controversies continue to plague the First Family.
Hunter Biden reached a plea deal with the DOJ on two misdemeanor tax crimes and entered a pretrial diversion agreement regarding the felony gun registration charge. Two IRS whistleblowers testified to Congress that the DOJ interfered in the investigation and U.S. Attorney David Weiss was blocked from bringing more serious charges.
In fact, a separate whistleblower told the House Judiciary Committee that the FBI knew the laptop was real as early as November 2019. Meanwhile, the agency warned social media companies about a potential "hack and leak" operation from Russia in the weeks leading up to the Post's reporting.
Joseph A. Wulfsohn is a media reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to
