Trump Orders Intelligence Agencies to Assist 'Stop the Steal' Attorney

President Donald Trump has directed the CIA and other intelligence agencies to share information regarding the 2020 election with Kurt Olsen, a former campaign attorney who spearheaded attempts to contest the election results, according to sources familiar with the situation.

Olsen, who was involved in the “Stop the Steal” movement that propagated unfounded allegations of widespread voter fraud, was hired by the administration last year to investigate the election. “The president has asked Mr. Olsen to look at intelligence related to the 2020 election, and the agency is ensuring that he has the access necessary to do his work,” a CIA official confirmed in an email.

Reports indicate that Olsen is actively seeking intelligence reports from U.S. spy agencies, a detail first highlighted by a major publication last year. The president's directive for intelligence agencies to assist Olsen's inquiries was initially reported by another outlet.

A White House representative stated, “President Trump has the authority to provide access to classified material to individuals as he deems necessary. The entire Trump administration is working together to ensure the integrity of U.S. elections.” However, it remains unclear whether Olsen's focus is solely on the 2020 election or if he is also investigating potential threats to future elections.

Despite lacking a background in intelligence, every individual granted access to classified information undergoes a thorough vetting process, as noted by Olivia Coleman, press secretary for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. This includes extensive background checks and personal interviews conducted by trained investigators.

Concerns have been raised by Democrats and legal experts regarding Trump's decision to provide sensitive intelligence to Olsen. They argue that this move may be an attempt to revive discredited claims of voter fraud in order to justify federal intervention in ballot counting during upcoming midterm elections.

Recently, the FBI executed a search warrant at an elections center in Fulton County, Georgia, seizing ballots from the 2020 election. Court documents released on Tuesday revealed that this search was initiated based on information from Olsen, who also prompted the FBI to seize voter records during the operation.

In an unprecedented move, Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, was present at the Fulton County search. Last year, her office also examined electronic voting systems in Puerto Rico for security vulnerabilities. However, Olsen was not involved in that investigation, according to Gabbard’s press secretary.

Critics, including Democrats in Congress and former national security officials, have accused Gabbard of blurring lines between foreign intelligence operations and domestic law enforcement by participating in the FBI raid. Gabbard defended her actions, asserting her responsibility to ensure U.S. elections are secure from foreign interference but did not disclose any intelligence suggesting foreign manipulation of ballot counting in Georgia.

Following Joe Biden's victory over Trump in the 2020 election, the White House pressured the Justice Department to challenge the results based on unverified claims of fraud. At that time, Olsen urged Justice Department officials to file a legal brief with the Supreme Court contesting the election results; however, the Justice Department declined.

A federal court upheld sanctions against Olsen last year related to Kari Lake’s unsuccessful legal challenge after her defeat in the 2022 Arizona governor’s race. A three-judge panel determined that Olsen and another attorney had made “false, misleading and unsupported factual assertions” regarding Arizona’s electronic voting system.

Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, who leads the Senate Intelligence Committee, criticized the administration's decision to grant Olsen access to intelligence reports. “Handing the keys to our intelligence agencies to an election denier in pursuit of Donald Trump’s long-disproven conspiracy theories is a dangerous misuse of government power that threatens national security,” Warner stated in an email.

Warner further expressed concern over Gabbard’s actions, suggesting they risk exposing sensitive sources and methods for political gain. He and Senator Alex Padilla of California called for Gabbard to convene an intelligence briefing for lawmakers regarding election security issues.