Investigation into Voting Machines in Puerto Rico
A team under Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard conducted an inspection of voting machines in Puerto Rico in May 2025. This was reported by Reuters.
The operation aimed to collaborate with the FBI to probe claims that Venezuela had hacked voting systems in Puerto Rico. However, the investigation ultimately found no substantial evidence of Venezuelan interference in the territory’s elections, as mentioned by three anonymous sources. Gabbard’s office confirmed the investigation but emphasized that it was focused on discovering vulnerabilities within Puerto Rico’s electronic voting system, rather than any connections to Venezuela.
During the investigation, Gabbard’s team confiscated an undisclosed number of voting machines from Puerto Rico, along with additional data, according to a spokesperson for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. The spokesperson described this action as a critical aspect of standard forensic analysis.
Gabbard’s office expressed significant concern regarding cybersecurity and the operational practices that could pose serious risks to U.S. elections.
As for responses, the ODNI did not offer immediate comments. Additionally, there was no immediate reaction from the Venezuelan government.
An ODNI spokesperson noted that the agency employed its extensive legal authority to analyze election security information and assess vulnerabilities against foreign interference, hence the examination of the electronic voting systems used during Puerto Rico’s elections.
Gabbard was not present during the investigation, as her office clarified. This operation engaged the FBI’s field office in southern Florida, which collaborated with Gabbard’s team in assessing potential threats to U.S. election integrity, as per two anonymous sources.
The group involved included U.S. national security officials and government contractors, the source mentioned.
Furthermore, the ODNI indicated that Puerto Rico’s federal prosecutor, along with teams of homeland security agents and FBI supervisors, facilitated the voluntary delivery of the electronic voting hardware and software for analysis.
Separately, the FBI executed a search warrant at an election office in Fulton County, Georgia, on January 28, aiming to seize ballots as part of the ongoing investigation related to the 2020 presidential election. Notably, both FBI Deputy Director Andrew Bailey and Gabbard were reported to be present outside the Georgia elections office that evening.
In response to these actions, Fulton County officials filed a complaint seeking the return of election records that were seized by federal agents at the elections office.
