Executive Summary
- Deputy AG Todd Blanche confirmed Tulsi Gabbard is not part of the FBI’s Fulton County investigation.
- President Trump previously claimed Gabbard had a “signed judge’s order” and was working on the case.
- Blanche clarified that Gabbard was near the search site but did not participate in the raid.
- The investigation involves a federal grand jury, limiting public disclosure of details.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated on Monday that Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is not formally part of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s inquiry into the Fulton County Election Hub in Georgia. This clarification diverges from recent assertions made by President Donald Trump regarding Gabbard’s direct role in the ongoing investigation.
During an interview on Fox News’ The Ingraham Angle, Blanche addressed questions regarding Gabbard’s presence near the site of a recent FBI raid. Federal agents executed a search warrant at the Fulton County Election Hub and Operation Center on Wednesday. Following the operation, President Trump claimed that Gabbard was “working very hard” on the matter and possessed a “signed judge’s order,” implying she held an active investigative capacity.
Blanche sought to correct the record regarding the involvement of the Director of National Intelligence. “She’s not part of this investigation,” Blanche told host Laura Ingraham. He clarified that while Gabbard was in the vicinity of the search, she did not participate in the execution of the warrant. Blanche noted that the inquiry is a federal grand jury investigation, limiting the details that can be publicly disclosed.
Despite the correction, Blanche affirmed that the President maintains confidence in Gabbard, describing her as an “expert in this space” whom President Trump trusts to be part of the broader team addressing election integrity. However, it remains a matter of statutory record that the Director of National Intelligence does not possess direct investigative authority over domestic FBI operations.
The discrepancy in messaging comes amidst reports from The New York Times that Gabbard and FBI agents participated in a conference call with President Trump following the raid. Additionally, The Wall Street Journal has reported on an internal whistleblower complaint filed against Gabbard within the intelligence community, though details remain classified.
Procedural Oversight and Jurisdictional Boundaries
The Deputy Attorney General’s delineation of roles highlights the structural separation between intelligence directorships and domestic law enforcement operations. Establishing that the Director of National Intelligence is not involved in specific FBI casework serves to maintain the procedural integrity of grand jury investigations, which are legally required to operate independently of external political appointees who lack specific statutory jurisdiction. This distinction is critical for preserving the chain of custody and legal standing of any evidence obtained during such raids. It is important to note that the existence of an investigation does not imply guilt, and all individuals or entities subject to inquiry are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
