Executive Summary
In late January 2026, Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard was present during an FBI search and seizure operation at the Fulton County Election Hub in Georgia, a raid tied to federal investigations of alleged irregularities in the 2020 presidential election there. Her presence—unusual for the nation’s top intelligence official at a domestic criminal enforcement action—sparked bipartisan controversy and fierce debate about executive branch overreach, political influence on law enforcement, the scope of intelligence authority, and broader questions about election integrity.
The controversy has further escalated due to other developments related to the raid, including local legal challenges, administrative responses within the FBI, and ongoing disagreements over federal authority in state elections.
What Happened: The FBI Raid and Gabbard’s Role
The FBI action in Georgia
In late January 2026, the FBI executed a warrant at the Fulton County Election Hub and Operation Center in Atlanta, Georgia—seizing hundreds of boxes of election records from the 2020 presidential election. The operation was carried out under a federal warrant issued by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, as part of a broader criminal investigation connected to alleged election irregularities or protocol violations.
Fulton County, Georgia is a heavily Democratic area, and the raid immediately drew intense attention partly because of the historical and political sensitivity around the 2020 election in the state.
Gabbard’s presence
Tulsi Gabbard, serving as Director of National Intelligence, was present on site during parts of the FBI operation—a highly unusual circumstance because the DNI’s office traditionally focuses on foreign intelligence and national security, not domestic law enforcement activities.
According to a letter Gabbard sent to Democratic lawmakers on the House and Senate intelligence committees, she was on site because President Trump personally requested her presence. In that letter, she emphasized that she did not direct the FBI raid nor issue operational instructions to agents.
Gabbard also acknowledged that while at the FBI’s Atlanta field office, she facilitated a brief phone call between Trump and FBI agents, during which Trump thanked them for their work—again noting that neither she nor the President issued directives or operational guidance.
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