Tulsi Gabbard defended her presence at an FBI search of a Fulton County election center, saying in a letter to congressional intelligence leaders that her actions were within her statutory authority as Director of National Intelligence. She said she withheld preliminary intelligence from lawmakers to avoid sharing incomplete assessments and pledged to brief Congress once analyses are complete. Gabbard acknowledged arranging a brief call that allowed President Trump to thank agents at the scene and said ODNI legal counsel found her actions lawful. The search involved 2020 election records and has prompted legal challenges and criticism about the appropriateness of her presence.
Tulsi Gabbard Says Her Visit to Fulton County FBI Search Was Within Her DNI Authority
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard speaks on the phone while standing inside a vehicle loaded with boxes outside the Fulton County Election Hub and Operation Center in Union City, Ga., on Jan. 28, 2026. (Elijah Nouvelage / Reuters)
WASHINGTON — Tulsi Gabbard on Monday defended her presence at an FBI search of an election center in Fulton County, Georgia, saying her actions were consistent with U.S. law and her responsibilities as Director of National Intelligence.
Letter to Congressional Intelligence Leaders
In a letter to the top Democrats on the House and Senate intelligence committees, Gabbard wrote that she visited the center last week as part of her statutory role overseeing threats to U.S. elections and assessing potential foreign interference. She said she purposely declined to brief lawmakers about preliminary intelligence before her trip, explaining that she would not "irresponsibly share incomplete assessments."
"I will share our intelligence assessments with Congress once they are complete," she wrote.
Phone Call With Agents and the President
Gabbard acknowledged arranging a brief telephone call that connected FBI personnel at the scene with President Donald Trump so he could express gratitude to the agents. She said the call was limited in scope and that "he did not ask any questions, nor did he or I issue any directives." Two sources confirmed the brief call to NBC News, and The New York Times was first to report it.
Legal Review and Official Statements
Gabbard said the Office of General Counsel at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence reviewed her actions and concluded they were "consistent and well within my statutory authorities as the Director of National Intelligence."
The matter has drawn scrutiny from other officials. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche told CNN he did not know why Gabbard was present at the FBI search but also described her as "a key part of our efforts at election integrity" and an expert in that area. Blanche added that she is not part of the grand jury investigation.
Context and Controversy
The Fulton County search related to records from the 2020 presidential election. Local officials have announced plans to sue the Trump administration over the search. National-security experts have questioned Gabbard's presence at an operational law-enforcement action, noting it is highly unusual for a Director of National Intelligence to accompany FBI agents on a raid because the DNI normally oversees intelligence agencies and is generally barred from participating in domestic law-enforcement operations.
An official at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence told NBC News that President Trump requested Gabbard travel to Fulton County and noted that federal law assigns the DNI a role in leading counterintelligence efforts tied to election security and in analyzing foreign interference. That official said the FBI’s intelligence and counterintelligence divisions fall under DNI oversight as part of the broader supervision of the nation’s 18 intelligence agencies.
FBI headquarters and the FBI Atlanta field office declined to comment.
What Comes Next
The episode has raised questions about boundaries between intelligence oversight and domestic law enforcement. Gabbard has promised to provide Congress with complete intelligence assessments when they are finished, while legal challenges and political scrutiny of the Fulton County search continue.
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