Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, was present at an FBI search of the Fulton County, Georgia, election center seeking ballots tied to the 2020 election. Her attendance drew criticism from lawmakers and national security officials who say the DNI’s role is focused on foreign intelligence and should not involve domestic law enforcement. Senators and representatives have demanded briefings, warning the visit risks politicizing the intelligence community and could create legal complications.
Tulsi Gabbard Draws Criticism After Appearing At FBI Search Of Fulton County Election Center
National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard speaks on the phone Wednesday in a vehicle loaded with boxes outside the Fulton County Election Hub and Operation Center in Union City, Ga. (Elijah Nouvelage / Reuters)
WASHINGTON — Two days after posting sunset photos from Hawaii and a New Year’s message about peace, Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence (DNI), was notably absent when President Donald Trump watched a live feed of a U.S. military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Her apparent absence from that sensitive operation underscored how sidelined she appeared inside the administration.
Yet on Wednesday Gabbard was photographed at the Fulton County election center in Georgia as FBI agents executed a search warrant seeking ballots tied to the 2020 presidential election — a contest President Trump has repeatedly asserted, without evidence, that he won.
Questions About Role And Boundaries
Gabbard’s presence at a law enforcement action focused on a domestic election prompted sharp criticism from national security officials and lawmakers, who said the DNI’s statutory remit is foreign intelligence and that the office is barred from participating in domestic law enforcement operations.
“Even if there was some criminal activity in the 2020 election in Georgia — despite repeated investigations that show there was none — it’s still a purely domestic problem — not one involving foreign nations,” a former national security official said. “The director of national intelligence has nothing to do with this.”
A senior administration official defended Gabbard’s trip, saying: “Director Gabbard has a pivotal role in election security and protecting the integrity of our elections against interference, including operations targeting voting systems, databases, and election infrastructure.” The official added that she is acting on President Trump’s directive to secure elections and coordinate with interagency partners.
Two other senior officials said Gabbard’s presence was not requested by the Justice Department and that she was merely observing the execution of the search warrant. They maintained that nothing illegal occurred, but they described the visit as unnecessary and speculated it may have been an effort to regain relevance.
Lawmakers Demand Briefings
Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, criticized the trip as part of a broader pattern of blurring lines between intelligence work and domestic politics. Warner said either Gabbard believed the case had a foreign-intelligence nexus and failed to notify congressional oversight committees, or she staged a domestic political stunt that damages the intelligence community’s nonpartisan reputation.
Gabbard enters the Fulton County election hub Wednesday. (Mike Stewart / AP)(Mike Stewart)
Warner and Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.), the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, sent a joint letter demanding that Gabbard brief congressional intelligence committees, citing her legal obligation to keep them informed about relevant intelligence matters. They wrote that the Intelligence Community should remain focused on foreign threats and warned that inward-directed intelligence authorities can threaten privacy and civil liberties.
Context And Internal Tensions
Gabbard last year dismantled a center meant to track foreign actors targeting U.S. elections and institutions; similar units at the Justice Department and State Department were also closed. Over the past year she has clashed with other senior administration officials, including FBI Director Kash Patel and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, amid an internal struggle for influence.
In October, the FBI strongly objected to a proposal by some House lawmakers to transfer counterintelligence authority from the bureau to the DNI’s office, warning the change would create confusion and harm national security; ultimately the FBI retained primary counterintelligence authority.
Legal experts also raised concerns that a Cabinet-level official’s attendance at a law enforcement action could create complications in subsequent legal proceedings. Kevin Carroll, a former CIA officer now practicing national security law, said: “Absent a foreign-intelligence nexus, ODNI’s involvement in the matter is wrong and potentially even illegal” if the director took an active role. He added that the director could become a fact witness in any hearing or trial involving evidence seized by the FBI.
The search in Fulton County follows Trump’s repeated, unproven claims that the 2020 election was fraudulent. Trump has publicly suggested prosecutions could follow; some allies have accused unspecified foreign actors of involvement but have not produced evidence that withstood court challenges.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com.
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