No evidence of hacking — but voting machines were seized anyway. A new report raises alarms about intelligence overreach in US elections.
WASHINGTON — The office of U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard conducted an investigation last spring into electronic voting machines used in Puerto Rico, but found no evidence of foreign interference, according to her office and sources familiar with the probe.
The May operation, first reported by Reuters, involved coordination with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and examined claims — circulating among supporters of President Donald Trump — that Venezuela had hacked voting systems. Gabbard’s office denied a Venezuela focus, saying the review centered on cybersecurity vulnerabilities.
Investigators took custody of an unspecified number of voting machines and copied data for forensic analysis, a step the office described as standard. ODNI said it identified “concerning cybersecurity and operational practices,” including vulnerabilities linked to cellular technology and software flaws that could expose election systems.
Democratic leaders criticized the move as overreach. Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chair Mark Warner said intelligence agencies have “no lawful role” in domestic election administration absent evidence of foreign interference. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer warned the action risked intimidating local officials.
ODNI defended its authority, citing its mandate to analyze threats to election security. Puerto Rico officials and lawmakers said past election problems on the island stem from administrative failures, not foreign meddling.
