Trump reveals Pam Bondi 'insisted' Tulsi Gabbard oversee FBI Georgia election records search

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump said on Thursday, February 5, that it was Attorney General Pam Bondi's “insistence” that led Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard to attend the FBI’s search of a Fulton County, Georgia, elections center last week.

Her appearance drew scrutiny from Democrats and raised questions about political interference.

Speaking during remarks surrounding the National Prayer Breakfast, Trump said Gabbard faced unfair criticism for her presence at the site, where federal agents seized records tied to the 2020 presidential election.

“She took a lot of heat two days ago because she went in, at Pam’s insistence,” Trump said. “She went in, and she looked at votes that wanted to be checked out from Georgia.”

Trump ridiculed questions about why the nation’s top intelligence official was present at the FBI operation.

“They say, ‘Why is she doing it?’ Right, Pam? ‘Why is she doing it?’” he said, before answering his own question: “Because Pam wanted her to do it. And you know why? Because she’s smart.”

Tulsi Gabbard says role was intelligence-related

Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman turned Trump administration official, told Democratic lawmakers this week that her presence at the election center was tied to her responsibilities as director of National Intelligence, not to any law enforcement function.

She explained that she was there to assess information relevant to national security and election integrity and added that she would share her intelligence findings with Congress once those assessments were completed.

However, senior Justice Department officials sought to distance the FBI investigation from Gabbard’s involvement.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche emphasized that Gabbard does not work for the Department of Justice or the FBI and said that she was “not part of this investigation.”

The FBI search of the Georgia elections hub resulted in the seizure of records related to the 2020 vote, escalating tensions between the Trump administration and local officials.

Fulton County officials have filed a lawsuit seeking the return of the records, arguing that the federal government overstepped its authority. 

Trump defends Kristi Noem and attacks Thomas Massie

During the same remarks, Trump again defended Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, despite recent fatal shootings involving federal agents in Minnesota.

Referring to his recent Super Bowl interview with NBC News, Trump recalled being asked whether he would remove Noem from her post. “No,” he said flatly.

“What would I do?” Trump added. “We have the strongest border in the history of our country.”

Trump also opened his National Prayer Breakfast appearance by mocking Rep Thomas Massie, calling him an automatic “no” vote on administration priorities.

“We have one guy who is an automatic ‘no,’ no matter what,” Trump said, criticizing Massie’s opposition to Trump-backed tax cuts and likening him to Sen Rand Paul.

Massie and Paul have frequently broken with Trump on spending and executive power, though Massie also co-authored legislation requiring the Justice Department to release Jeffrey Epstein-related records, which Trump signed into law last year.