Trump Confirms Gabbard’s Role at Georgia Election Facility Raid
– Former President Donald Trump requested, and U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard carried out a visit to the FBI’s raid of an election facility in Fulton County, Georgia, last week, Gabbard confirmed in a letter to lawmakers on Monday.
Gabbard stated her presence at the facility was within her authority, explaining she was there to observe FBI personnel executing a search warrant. She described being present for a “brief period of time.” The FBI searched the Fulton County Election Hub and Operation Center on Wednesday, reportedly pursuing Trump’s claims of widespread voting fraud in the 2020 election.
The visit has drawn scrutiny from Democrats, with Senator Mark Warner and Representative Jim Himes requesting Gabbard brief their intelligence committees on her involvement. Concerns were raised about the unusual nature of the Director of National Intelligence’s participation in a local law enforcement operation.
In her letter, addressed to Warner and Himes, Gabbard also revealed she “facilitated a brief phone call” allowing Trump to thank the FBI agents involved in the probe. This action, she noted, deviated from standard law enforcement procedures.
According to Gabbard, neither she nor Trump issued any directives to the agents. Trump himself confirmed Gabbard’s role, though details of his involvement remain limited.
The claims of voting fraud in the 2020 presidential election have been widely rejected by courts, state governments, and even members of Trump’s own former administration.
Warner’s office indicated Gabbard’s letter “raises more questions than it answers.” Experts have also questioned the legality of Gabbard’s involvement, with Robert Litt, a former top ODNI lawyer, stating the DNI’s statutory authorities do not extend to investigating past elections for potential fraud.
The role of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence typically focuses on overseas spying and national security, making Gabbard’s presence at a domestic election facility raid particularly unusual. Gabbard defended her actions by citing her broad statutory authority to coordinate and analyze intelligence related to election security, including counter-intelligence, foreign influence, and cybersecurity.
Politico described Gabbard’s appearance as “bizarrely and personally lurking,” while Democrats have expressed alarm at her presence, according to reports from NBC News and The Guardian.
The situation continues to develop as lawmakers seek further clarification on Gabbard’s role and the extent of Trump’s involvement in the matter.
