President Donald Trump used remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday to redirect responsibility for a controversial FBI search of a Georgia election office, pointing the finger squarely at Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Speaking to a room of religious, political, and international leaders in Washington, D.C., Trump strayed far from spiritual themes, revisiting recent controversies surrounding his administration. Among them was the presence of Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard at an FBI raid tied to the 2020 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 want to be checked out from Georgia.”
The comment appeared to contradict earlier statements from Trump and his allies, who had defended Gabbard’s presence as appropriate. Lawmakers from both parties have raised concerns about her involvement, noting that the DNI’s statutory authority is limited to intelligence matters — particularly those involving foreign threats — not domestic criminal investigations.
Last week, the Federal Bureau of Investigation executed a search warrant at a Fulton County election office, seizing ballots and voting materials from the 2020 election. Trump has repeatedly and falsely claimed that the election was stolen from him, despite courts, audits, and independent reviews finding no evidence of widespread fraud.
The controversy intensified after images surfaced showing Gabbard discreetly present during the raid, dressed in a black coat and baseball cap. Critics say her involvement lends credence to fears that the administration is attempting to retroactively challenge or rewrite the outcome of the 2020 election.
Trump doubled down on that implication during the prayer breakfast, saying Gabbard’s actions were justified because he believes past investigations into his campaign — particularly those involving Russian interference in the 2016 election — were unfair. He suggested that reviewing old ballots was a legitimate response.
“They say, ‘Why is she doing it?’ Right Pam?” Trump said. “‘Why is she doing it?’ Because Pam wanted her to do it.”
The president also used the event to air broader grievances, portraying himself as uniquely persecuted by prosecutors and investigators. While insisting he does not use the Justice Department for retaliation, he openly questioned why he shouldn’t.
“They say, ‘Donald Trump is using the Justice Department to get even.’ And I don’t,” he said. “But wouldn’t I have a right to?”
Traditionally, presidents have used the National Prayer Breakfast to emphasize unity, faith, or reconciliation. Trump instead used the platform to tout his accomplishments, criticize Democrats, defend his election claims, and praise Bondi for carrying out what he called “what’s right.”
