Gabbard testimony on Puerto Rico voting machines raises questions about role of Venezuela conspiracy theory

National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard testified Thursday that her office seized voting machines from Puerto Rico at the request of the US attorney there, without disclosing that the prosecutor has been central to efforts by Trump supporters to revive a debunked 2020 election conspiracy theory linking Venezuela to Trump's defeat. The theory, which falsely claims Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro interfered in the 2020 election, has been thoroughly discredited by election officials, law enforcement, and intelligence agencies. The seizure raises questions about whether claims of election irregularities in Puerto Rico are being used to legitimize conspiracy theories that have already been rejected by multiple government bodies. The connection between the DNI's action and the prosecutor's work on the Venezuela theory suggests potential overlap between intelligence operations and efforts to resurrect debunked electoral claims. The testimony underscores how post-2020 conspiracy narratives continue to influence official government actions more than five years after the election.