DNI Gabbard Says Trump Requested Presence At Fulton County FBI Search
Gabbard said she accompanied FBI agents during the Jan. 28, 2026, Fulton County raid and facilitated a call between President Trump and FBI personnel.
Overview
Tulsi Gabbard, director of national intelligence, said President Donald Trump requested she accompany FBI Deputy Director Andrew Bailey during the Jan. 28, 2026, Fulton County search and that she facilitated a call with FBI agents.
The search warrant, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, led agents to seize almost 700 boxes of 2020 ballots and election records, escalating scrutiny of election-integrity claims.
Sen. Mark Warner and Sen. Jon Ossoff called Gabbard's presence inappropriate, while Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said she was "present in the area" and defended her election-integrity work, according to their statements.
Georgia Democrats—Sen. Raphael Warnock, Reps. Lucy McBath and Nikema Williams—sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi requesting a DOJ briefing by Feb. 13, 2026, and asking whether a foreign-intel nexus exists.
Senate and House intelligence committee leaders demanded briefings from Gabbard and said they will press for documents, while Fulton County officials said they plan to sue the federal government over the Jan. 28, 2026, raid.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame Gabbard’s presence as unusual and controversial through editorial choices that emphasize criticism, legal boundaries and official skepticism. They use evaluative language ("raised questions," "highly unusual"), prioritize DOJ/FBI and expert voices, and present Gabbard’s defenses as source content rather than editorial endorsement.
Sources (9)
FAQ
Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence, said President Trump requested she accompany FBI Deputy Director Andrew Bailey during the Jan. 28, 2026, Fulton County raid and that she facilitated a call between Trump and FBI personnel.
FBI agents seized almost 700 boxes containing physical 2020 ballots (in-person, absentee, provisional), voter rolls, ballot images, and tabulator tapes from voting machines.
The warrant from U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia sought evidence of potential violations of federal laws on voter intimidation, election interference, and failure to retain election records for 22 months; FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed a judge found probable cause.
Fulton County plans to sue the federal government, challenging the search warrant's scope and execution as unprecedented and improper; Commissioner Marvin Arrington Jr. directed the county attorney to fight it.
Sens. Mark Warner and Jon Ossoff called Gabbard's presence inappropriate; Georgia Democrats requested a DOJ briefing; groups like NAACP LDF, ACLU, and experts condemned it as pursuing debunked 2020 fraud claims and weaponizing the FBI.
History
4 sources