Trump Addresses Controversy Over Gabbard’s Role in FBI Raid

President Donald Trump has commented on the recent controversy involving Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard during the FBI raid at the Fulton County Election Hub in Georgia.

At the National Prayer Breakfast, Trump mentioned Attorney General Pam Bondi, explaining how she advised Gabbard to go to the hospital due to a severe fever just prior to reviewing the election results. This was an action Bondi reportedly insisted upon.

He went on to defend Gabbard against critics who believe her involvement in the FBI raid was inappropriate and outside her duties.

Fulton County’s Motion Regarding 2020 Election Materials

Trump had previously addressed this situation at the premiere of First Lady Melania Trump’s film, noting that Gabbard is committed to ensuring the integrity of elections.

In a letter to Senator Mark Warner and Representative Jim Himes, Gabbard stated that Trump had “specifically directed” her to attend the incident, responding to inquiries about her participation during the raid. This letter followed one sent by Warner and Himes in late January, which sought clarification on her presence.

In her letter, Gabbard asserted that her involvement was authorized, indicating that her actions were taken under her official capacity to oversee election security and related affairs, including counterintelligence and cybersecurity issues. She noted that the FBI’s Intelligence and Counterintelligence Division is one of the divisions she supervises.

Gabbard also mentioned that the Office of the Director of National Intelligence’s General Counsel deemed her actions to be within her statutory powers, reiterating that she had announced an investigation into electronic voting systems back in April 2025.

FBI Raid and Fulton County’s Legal Action

The FBI conducted the raid on January 28, targeting the main election facility in Union City, Georgia, to gather records associated with the 2020 elections. In response, Fulton County officials have filed a motion to have the seized materials returned, including original ballots from the 2020 elections.

This sealed motion seeks the return of around 656 boxes of election materials. The accompanying warrant outlines the specific items being targeted, which include all ballots, tally tapes from the vote scanners, electronic ballot images, and complete voter rolls.

Trump continues to assert that the 2020 election, which resulted in his loss to Joe Biden, was unfair.