Democrats and election experts are raising concerns after Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard was spotted at an FBI raid of a Georgia election office linked to President Donald Trump’s long-debunked claims about the 2020 vote.
According to Politico, Gabbard appeared late Wednesday, per local time, outside the Fulton County elections office near Atlanta as federal agents executed a search warrant to seize ballots and election-related records from the 2020 election.
Her presence set off alarm bells on Capitol Hill, largely because the DNI does not have domestic law enforcement authority and is not typically involved in criminal investigations.
Why Gabbard is drawing scrutiny
Lawmakers from both parties expressed confusion over why the nation’s top intelligence official was at the scene.
Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia said during a Senate hearing that the sight of Gabbard “bizarrely and personally lurking” at the FBI operation understandably unsettled the public.
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Several current and former administration officials, speaking to Politico, said they were also puzzled by her involvement, with one calling it “a mystery” why she would need to be physically present during the raid.
{{/usCountry}}Several current and former administration officials, speaking to Politico, said they were also puzzled by her involvement, with one calling it “a mystery” why she would need to be physically present during the raid.
{{/usCountry}}The Wall Street Journal reported that Gabbard has been looking into issues related to the 2020 election and has regularly briefed Trump and senior officials. The White House has defended her actions, saying she plays a key role in election security.
What White House stated as the reason
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told the Journal that Gabbard is helping ensure US elections “can never, ever be rigged again.”
Another spokesperson, Davis Ingle, said she has a “pivotal role” in protecting election infrastructure from interference.
A spokesperson for Gabbard confirmed to Politico that she was in Atlanta during the raid but did not provide any other details.
Democrats warn of political overreach
Democratic lawmakers argue Gabbard’s presence risks politicizing both intelligence work and election administration.
Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, wrote on X that there are “only two explanations” for her involvement, either a serious intelligence concern that Congress was not briefed on, or an inappropriate political stunt.
Election officials had similar worries. David Becker, executive director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, told reporters there was “no reason” for the DNI to be inside a voting facility, calling the situation “incredibly troubling.”
The FBI raid comes as Trump continues to repeat false claims that the 2020 election was stolen: allegations Georgia officials have repeatedly rejected.