Intelligence community watchdog refutes Trump's whistleblower claims

Context: Trump incorrectly stated that rules for whistleblowers had recently changed to not require firsthand information.

• The claims seem to have been based on a since debunked report by the conservative site The Federalist about the whistleblower complaint form being revised.
• The president and his loyal defenders on Capitol Hill also claimed incorrectly that the whistleblower lacked firsthand knowledge of the information in the report. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) accused the whistleblower of using "hearsay."

Key takeaways: The inspector general makes clear that these claims are inaccurate and that by law the complainant "need not possess first-hand information in order to file a complaint or information with respect to an urgent concern."

• The inspector general also notes that the whistleblower "stated on the form that he or she possessed both first-hand and other information" and that they had "direct knowledge of certain alleged conduct."

What they're saying: The whistleblower's lawyer Mark Zaid issued a statement welcoming the inspector general's statement.

Go deeper:

• Misleading Trump tweet claims Ukraine whistleblower complaint "not holding up"
• Trump demands to meet whistleblower and accuses Adam Schiff of "treason"
• Trump: "We're trying to find out" identity of whistleblower