It’s been almost a decade since then-House Intelligence Committee chairman Devin Nunes first launched his investigation with now-FBI director Kash Patel into the scandal that became known as “Russiagate.”
His watershed memo back in 2018—dubbed the “Nunes memo”—detailed what he describes as grave abuses in how the FBI obtained surveillance warrants under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) to surveil Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign and later the first Trump administration.
It’s “the biggest scandal in U.S. history, by a long way,” he says.
In July 2025, the Trump administration released new documents shedding more light on the Russia probe, revealing the creation of an intelligence community assessment (ICA) at President Barack Obama’s behest that alleged Russian President Vladimir Putin had interfered in the presidential election in order to help Trump.
Nunes is currently serving as chair of the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board, a body created in 1956 during the Eisenhower era to advise the president on U.S. intelligence activities and provide an external check on the intelligence community.
In this episode, we sit down to reflect on the “Russiagate” saga, almost a decade later, and what accountability he’d like to see.
We also dive into his work as CEO of Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), which owns Truth Social.
TMTG recently announced an unexpected merger with the pioneering nuclear fusion company TAE Technologies. Why did they choose to make this move, and why is he convinced nuclear fusion technology will be critical to America’s future?
Correction: A previous version of the episode incorrectly stated the name of Devin Nunes’ company. It’s Trump Media & Technology Group. The Epoch Times regrets the error.
Views expressed in this video are opinions of the host and the guest, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times and The Thinking Conservative.
Description
At a time when our nation is becoming increasingly polarized, media often ignore viewpoints and stories that are worthy of attention. American Thought Leaders, hosted by The Epoch Times Senior Editor Jan Jekielek and his reporting team, features in-depth discussions with important thought leaders on key issues facing America—and Canada, the world—today.
About the host
Jan Jekielek is a Senior Editor with The Epoch Times and host of the show, “American Thought Leaders.” Jan’s career has spanned academia, media, & international human rights work. In 2009 he joined The Epoch Times full time and has served in a variety of roles, including as Website Chief Editor. He is the producer of the award-winning Holocaust documentary film “Finding Manny.“
