“...the effort by an outgoing president to undermine his [successor] using intelligence agencies...”
That was the premise of the book “Silent Coup” by Len Colodney with Nixon. Watergate was a sideshow. The real power was with the military getting rid of Nixon iirc. Woodward and his former naval commander were part of the scheme. The book sounds like a goofy conspiracy, except it is all back up with exhaustive notes. (He and his partner were investigative reporters).
http://www.watergate.com/silentcoup/silentcoup.aspx
Trump has revealed so many things about our country and government. Some I wish I never learned...but it has been a bigly education for me.