Tulsi Gabbard, serving as Director of National Intelligence (DNI), was present Wednesday when FBI agents executed a search warrant at the Fulton County elections office near Atlanta as part of a Justice Department effort to seize voting records tied to alleged 2020 election fraud.
What Happened
According to a source who spoke with CNN, the search was intended to recover voting-related records for review in the ongoing probe. Gabbard’s presence on site drew immediate attention because the DNI’s traditional role centers on foreign intelligence and protecting U.S. elections from external interference, not domestic criminal investigations.
Official Statements
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence defended Gabbard’s involvement, saying that the DNI has statutory counterintelligence responsibilities related to election security, including assessing risks to voting systems, software and voter registration databases. A DNI spokesperson said, "We know through intelligence and public reporting that electronic voting systems have been and are vulnerable to exploitation," and added that Gabbard would continue to act within her authorities.
President Trump praised Gabbard’s actions, saying she was "working very hard to try to keep the election safe" and suggesting, "You’ll see some interesting things happening. They’ve been trying to get there for a long time."
Reactions From Officials And Experts
The visit prompted sharp criticism from Democratic election officials and some lawmakers. Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold questioned why the DNI would address state election officials, calling the episode likely to be "election denialism conspiracy BS." Connecticut Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas said she planned to boycott a scheduled appearance by Gabbard at the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) conference.
Sen. Mark Warner, top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Gabbard either believes a legitimate foreign-intelligence nexus exists and failed to notify Congress, or she has inappropriately injected the intelligence office into a partisan domestic dispute. Warner said her actions could violate legal obligations to keep congressional intelligence committees "fully and currently informed."
Election-security experts warned Gabbard’s presence could complicate future prosecutions. David Becker, executive director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, said her presence "raises serious questions about this collection of alleged evidence," and predicted defense counsel would likely challenge the handling of seized materials.
Context And Next Steps
Georgia was central to efforts to overturn the 2020 election, and state officials told CNN they are preparing for the possibility that the seized records could be linked to foreign interference claims, including suggestions about Chinese activity — though no public evidence of a foreign nexus has been disclosed. Gabbard had been scheduled to address the NASS conference but did not attend; other Trump administration officials who were expected to appear also did not speak.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche defended coordination among agencies, saying Gabbard’s involvement "shouldn’t be questioned" because election integrity is part of her responsibilities. At the time of reporting, the DNI spokesperson had not specified any foreign connection to the Fulton County probe.
What To Watch: Whether investigators disclose any foreign intelligence link to the seized records, whether Gabbard or other officials provide a public briefing, and whether Gabbard’s presence becomes a legal issue if charges result from the Fulton County probe.
