FBI Secrets Exposed! Operation 'Round River' Listed Pompeo and Giuliani on Russian Disinformation List

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has been accused of classifying notable individuals, including former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former Attorney General William Barr, as 'conduits' (conduits) of Russian disinformation during a covert counterintelligence operation codenamed 'Round River.' These allegations stem from a report by the American media outlet 'Just the News,' which analyzed recently released documents suggesting that U.S. intelligence agencies and the FBI categorized individuals involved in controversies surrounding the Biden family’s Ukrainian affairs and the first impeachment of President Trump in 2019.

According to 'Just the News,' a spreadsheet reportedly obtained from U.S. intelligence archives and disclosed by the White House Government Transparency Task Force lists over 60 prominent organizations, individuals, and foreign nationals. These individuals were categorized by the relevant agencies into classifications such as 'targets' or 'conduits' based on their assessments.

'Round River' is believed to be linked to counterintelligence activities during the 2020 presidential election. The report indicates that the categorization in this list showed clear political alignment. Conservative figures such as former Secretary of State Pompeo, former Attorney General Barr, Fox News, One America News, documentary filmmaker Michael Caputo, and Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani were labeled as 'conduits of Russian disinformation.' In contrast, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former President Barack Obama, former Secretary of State John Kerry, and individuals associated with the Biden family were classified as 'targets'—those allegedly influenced by Russian disinformation.

Late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and Republican Congressman Jim Jordan were also reportedly included in the 'conduits' category.

A U.S. government official told 'Just the News' that the distinction between 'conduits' and 'targets' was part of the secret counterintelligence operation codenamed 'Round River,' which reportedly took place during the 2020 U.S. presidential election.

'Just the News' previously reported that the FBI is currently re-examining several past counterintelligence investigations targeting Trump and his political circle, including 'Crossfire Hurricane,' 'Round River,' 'Plasmic Echo,' and 'Arctic Frost.' These operations spanned from summer 2016 to January 2025, with some investigation files marked as 'prohibited access,' preventing regular FBI personnel and even certain internal units from accessing them through standard case management systems.

'Round River' has drawn particular attention. Reports suggest the operation originated with the FBI’s Pittsburgh field office and focused on individuals investigating matters related to the Biden family and Ukraine at the time. The full scope of the operation remains unclear, and there is ongoing speculation about whether the FBI dismissed negative information or corruption allegations against the Bidens by labeling them as 'Russian disinformation.'

Attorney General Barr had requested an investigation into Biden family and Ukraine-related allegations during his tenure.

U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley had previously questioned how the FBI handled intelligence concerning the Biden family. He stated that some negative information about Hunter Biden may have been incorrectly labeled as foreign disinformation.

Another reason 'Round River' has attracted attention is its apparent temporal overlap with investigations pursued by then-Attorney General Barr in 2020.

At the time, Barr directed federal prosecutors to review materials related to the Biden family and Ukraine. Former U.S. Attorney Scott Brady later led the review of this information, including materials provided by figures such as Giuliani.

However, according to reports, Brady was unaware that the FBI’s Pittsburgh office was simultaneously conducting the 'Round River' operation. Because some files were designated as 'prohibited access,' the prosecution team investigating allegations against the Biden family may not have been able to search for these contents through normal FBI databases.

'The Federalist' previously reported that these restricted files might involve how the FBI handled intelligence regarding the Biden family and whether someone attempted to characterize such information as Russian disinformation to obstruct further investigations. However, publicly available information still largely comes from government documents, congressional inquiries, and media-obtained materials. Whether these allegations will ultimately be verified through independent investigation remains to be seen.

FBI Director Patel: Investigating Whether 'Round River' Information Was Used to Influence Other Cases

Current FBI Director Kash Patel has also become involved in reviewing the relevant files.

In a letter from Patel to the White House Government Transparency Task Force, the FBI stated it is currently investigating whether the Foreign Influence Task Force (FITF) used information obtained from the 'Round River' operation to influence or interfere with other ongoing investigations.

Patel stated in the letter that the FBI’s internal review of FITF is not yet complete, and it is still determining whether the task force selectively focused on confidential human sources (CHS) related to the Biden family and used 'Round River' assessment findings to 'undermine or influence' other investigations.

Patel also stated that the Foreign Influence Task Force has been terminated during his tenure as FBI Director.

This statement aligns with ongoing FBI internal document audits. Reports indicate that Patel has instructed staff to locate case files previously placed under 'prohibited access' frameworks to clarify why these materials did not appear in standard case search results and to identify which FBI officials accessed them.

FBI Letter Confirms At Least 14 Informants Provided Negative Information About Biden

Another point of interest involves descriptions of confidential human sources in the FBI’s public correspondence.

According to FBI documents obtained and reported by 'Just the News,' the FBI confirmed that at least 14 informants provided federal investigators with unfavorable information about the Biden family. This information includes allegations related to the Bidens’ business and political activities in Ukraine.

How this information was assessed within the FBI, which parts were deemed credible, and which were considered potentially originating from foreign powers or Russian disinformation remain central controversies in the 'Round River' investigation.

Grassley and Republican Senator Ron Johnson previously criticized the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force for its handling of information related to the Biden family. They stated that a briefing the FBI gave them in 2020 may have aimed to undermine their investigations into the Biden family.

Controversy Expands to Criteria for Labeling 'Russian Disinformation'

As the 'Round River' incident gains attention, another controversy has emerged: what criteria the FBI used to determine whether information constituted Russian disinformation, and whether such determinations influenced federal investigations into journalists, lawmakers, producers, lawyers, or others.

Reports suggest that journalists, lawmakers, filmmakers, and attorneys who raised questions about the Biden family’s Ukrainian affairs were reportedly included in related intelligence assessments. If confirmed, the controversy would extend beyond how the FBI handled intelligence about the Bidens and touch on how federal law enforcement defines the boundaries between political speech, media reporting, and foreign influence activities during elections.

Currently available public data shows that the FBI continues to organize and review files related to cases like 'Round River,' with some materials previously under high-access restrictions and not fully disclosed. The internal review led by Patel is still verifying the justification for launching related investigations, the sources of intelligence, case-handling procedures, and whether the Foreign Influence Task Force used related intelligence in other cases.