**GABBARD'S EXPANDED ROLE IN ELECTION SECURITY DRAWS SCRUTINY**

The Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, has become increasingly involved in election security and integrity efforts, sparking concerns that her role may be undermining public confidence in future elections.

Gabbard's agency is formally tasked with addressing foreign interference in U.S. elections, but the Director's expanding involvement in domestic election matters raises questions about its constitutionality and effectiveness.

**A Series of Election-Related Actions**

Recently, Gabbard's team seized voting machines in Puerto Rico, which were later found to contain cybersecurity vulnerabilities, according to Reuters reporting.

In a separate incident, she was present during an FBI raid on a Fulton County, Georgia elections office, which was at the center of President Donald Trump's false claims of election fraud in 2020.

**White House and DHS Collaboration**

The White House Chief of Staff, Susie Wiles, and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem have met multiple times to discuss election security topics since the start of the year, with Gabbard present at least once, according to a U.S. official.

Those meetings focused on restoring trust in the electoral process, which has been damaged by false claims of widespread voter fraud and irregularities.

**Concerns Over Constitutional Implications**

Experts say that Gabbard's involvement in election security efforts could undermine public confidence in future elections, particularly if it amplifies narratives around elections being insecure and unsafe.

"It's highly unusual for the Director of National Intelligence to be involved in election issues," said Samantha Tarazi, CEO of Voting Rights Lab. "The U.S. Constitution is clear that determining how our elections work is left to the states and Congress, not the federal executive."

**Lack of Transparency**

It remains unclear how the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is involved in election integrity efforts, particularly given its past scrutiny for coordinating with social media companies to remove disinformation online.

Cybersecurity specialists, election experts, and former Trump administration national security officials have consistently said there is no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election.

**A Focus on Future Elections**

Experts warn that Gabbard's efforts are focused not on addressing past concerns but on determining the control and outcome of future elections.

"While the Trump administration is stuck in the past trying to relitigate 2020, what this is really about is determining the control and outcome of future elections," Tarazi said.