Trump Gives Conflicting Explanations for Gabbard’s Presence at FBI Fulton County Election Search
President Trump has given conflicting explanations for Tulsi Gabbard’s presence at the FBI search of Fulton County election materials, saying at the National Prayer Breakfast she went at Attorney General Pam Bondi’s “insistence,” while Gabbard told Congress she attended at Trump’s request. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt framed Gabbard’s role as tied to ODNI election‑security responsibilities and said the president supports her involvement, even as Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said he does not know why she was present and that she is not part of the FBI’s Fulton County investigation.
📌 Key Facts
- Tulsi Gabbard was present on-site during an FBI search of a Fulton County election hub.
- At a Feb. 5 White House briefing, press secretary Karoline Leavitt framed Gabbard’s on-site role as part of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence’s responsibility to ensure elections are “free of foreign interference” and “safe and secure,” said President Trump “wholeheartedly supports both Kash Patel and Tulsi Gabbard,” and declined to point to evidence of foreign influence while criticizing the media’s past coverage of 2016 Russia‑interference claims.
- Speaking at the Feb. 5 National Prayer Breakfast, President Trump said Gabbard joined the Fulton County search at former Attorney General Pam Bondi’s “insistence,” rather than solely at his request.
- That public remark from Trump directly contradicts Gabbard’s earlier letter to Congress saying she attended the FBI search at President Trump’s request.
- Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated he does not know why Gabbard was present and that she is not part of the FBI’s Fulton County investigation, underscoring internal distance from her role.
- The differing explanations from the White House briefings, the president’s public remarks, Gabbard’s letter, and Justice Department comments have produced conflicting accounts of why Gabbard was at the Fulton County search.
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
February 05, 2026
11:07 PM
WATCH: Trump says Gabbard joined FBI search at Fulton County election center at Bondi's 'insistence'
New information:
- Trump, speaking at the Feb. 5 National Prayer Breakfast, said Tulsi Gabbard went into the Fulton County election‑hub search at Attorney General Pam Bondi’s 'insistence,' not solely at his request.
- This public remark directly contradicts Gabbard’s earlier letter to Congress in which she said she attended the FBI search at President Trump’s request.
- Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has reiterated that he does not know why Gabbard was present and that she is not part of the FBI’s Fulton County investigation, underscoring internal distance from her role.
9:35 PM
Leavitt flips script on media for balking at Fulton election probe after years of promoting Russia claims
New information:
- Karoline Leavitt, at a Feb. 5, 2026 White House briefing, explicitly framed Tulsi Gabbard’s on‑site role in the Fulton County search as part of ODNI’s responsibility to ensure elections are 'free of foreign interference' and 'safe and secure.'
- Leavitt stated President Trump 'wholeheartedly supports both Kash Patel and Tulsi Gabbard' in the Fulton effort, directly tying the raid to Trump’s backing.
- Pressed by a reporter on whether there is any indication of foreign influence in Fulton County, Leavitt dodged the evidentiary question and instead attacked the media for years of promoting 2016 Russia‑interference narratives, saying reporters 'should all be very happy' an administration is now 'looking into that.'