James Clapper: 1,934 US Persons Had Their Identities Unmasked in 2016

Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said Monday that 1,934 U.S. persons had their identities unmasked in 2016 based on intelligence collected on foreign targets.

The revelation came during a Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing on Russian interference in the 2016 elections.

He also revealed that he had requested the unmasking, or identity, of either Trump, his associates or members of Congress “once,” but said he could not discuss why in a public setting.

Trump has asserted that the Obama administration had surveilled members of his campaign, and last month, it was revealed that Susan Rice had requested the unmasking of Trump transition team members.

On Friday, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), a 2016 presidential candidate, announced that he had been told by several sources that the Obama administration had unmasked his or his campaign members’ identities, and has requested more information from the Trump administration and the intelligence community on that.

Chairman Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said prior to his subcommittee’s investigation on Russian interference in the election, he had not known a lot about unmasking, but that what he’s learned is “disturbing.”

Under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, communications of U.S. persons can be legally captured during surveillance of a foreign target.

Since it is illegal to gather intelligence on U.S. persons without a warrant, their identities are masked when caught up in such surveillance, unless there is a request to unmask their identities for legitimate national security reasons.

A private phone conversation that appears to have been intercepted in such surveillance between former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak was leaked to the Washington Post in a February 9 article.

Former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates during the hearing said she had notified White House Counsel Don McGahn of that conversation on January 26, but that she did not know who later leaked it to the Washington Post.