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Trump Tours Georgia as Fulton County Challenges DOJ Ballot Search Warrant

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Trump’s Feb. 19 Georgia Visit Centers on Economy and Special Election President Donald Trump arrived in Georgia on Feb. 19, emphasizing “affordability for working people” while campaigning for Republican candidates ahead of the March 10 special election in the former Marjorie Taylor Greene district [1]. He reiterated false 2020 fraud claims at a White House Black History Month reception, asserting the election was “stolen” despite numerous audits and court rulings [1]. The trip also featured his endorsement of district‑attorney Clay Fuller, whom Trump called “rocket fuel,” and discussions of potential executive actions on voter fraud [1].

Fulton County Accuses DOJ of Withholding Critical Information County officials filed a lawsuit on Feb. 17 alleging the FBI’s warrant application omitted “serious” facts, including prior investigations and credibility concerns about key witnesses [2]. The affidavit relied on witnesses lacking election‑administration expertise, prompting expert Ryan Macias to label the document “gross mischaracterizations” of election processes [2]. A magistrate judge previously ordered the warrant materials unsealed, and a hearing on returning the seized 2020 ballots is scheduled for next week [2].

Election‑Fraud Narrative Links Trump’s Rhetoric to DOJ Probe Trump’s ongoing claims that the 2020 vote was stolen coincide with the federal ballot‑search operation in Fulton County, which the DOJ defends as a legitimate investigation [1][2]. Both the White House and the DOJ face scrutiny: the White House for potential executive orders targeting alleged voter fraud, and the DOJ for alleged misrepresentations in the warrant affidavit [1][2]. Legal experts note that the overlapping timelines intensify partisan debates over election integrity in Georgia [1][2].

Republicans Push State Election Board Takeover Amid Controversy GOP lawmakers are urging the Trump‑aligned State Election Board to assume control of Fulton County elections under a 2021 law, though the timing remains uncertain [1]. The push aligns with Trump’s strategy to frame the upcoming midterms as a referendum on Democratic governance and alleged election cheating [1]. Critics argue that the takeover effort could further politicize election administration in a state already embroiled in federal investigations [1].

Discrepancies Highlight Different Focuses of Coverage The AP article emphasizes Trump’s campaign messaging, economic agenda, and candidate endorsements, while the CNN report concentrates on procedural flaws in the DOJ’s warrant application and expert criticism of the affidavit [1][2]. AP mentions Trump hinting at an executive order on voter fraud, a detail absent from CNN’s legal‑focused narrative [1]. Conversely, CNN provides specific allegations of omitted facts and upcoming judicial proceedings not covered by the AP piece [2].

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Timeline

Nov 2020 – After a hand recount, Biden wins Georgia by just over 12,000 votes, the first Democratic presidential victory in the state since 1992, and courts repeatedly reject Trump’s fraud claims. [1]

Jan 2 2021 – Trump calls Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger demanding “11,780 votes” to overturn the result, a call later cited as evidence of his unfounded fraud narrative. [1]

Aug 2023 – Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis indicts Trump and 18 co‑defendants for an alleged scheme to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election, reviving the state‑level legal battle. [17]

Nov 2023 – A judge dismisses Willis’s indictment, citing an appearance of impropriety due to a romantic relationship with a hired prosecutor, effectively ending the state criminal case. [17]

2024 – Independent monitors report marked improvement in Fulton County’s election administration, describing the 2024 general election as “organized and orderly” after earlier “disastrous” performance in 2020. [26]

2025 – Trump returns to the White House; a pending federal indictment related to the 2020 election ends after his inauguration. [1]

Jan 28 2026 – FBI agents execute a court‑authorized search warrant at the Fulton County Election Hub in Union City, loading roughly 700 boxes of ballots, tabulator tapes, electronic images and voter rolls onto trucks for analysis in Virginia. [12][22][23][24][25][26][27]

Jan 28 2026 – Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard attends the raid, standing beside a truck of boxes, a presence later described as “atypical” for a DNI focused on foreign intelligence. [12][26]

Jan 29 2026 – Fulton County Commissioner Mo Ivory posts on Instagram that the FBI seized about 700 ballot boxes, calling the operation “an assault on your vote.” [16][1]

Jan 30 2026 – Gabbard’s office sends a letter to congressional Democrats stating the President asked her to attend and that she “accompanied” top FBI officials during the search, invoking her statutory authority over election‑security intelligence. [11][4]

Jan 31 2026 – President Trump praises Gabbard on CNN, saying she is “working very hard to try to keep the election safe” and hints that “interesting things” will emerge from the investigation. [10]

Feb 2 2026 – Trump urges Republicans to “nationalize the voting” in Georgia during an interview with former FBI deputy director Dan Bongino, framing the call as a response to the recent FBI raid. [7][8]

Feb 2 2026 – Congress nears a deal to end the partial government shutdown that began on Jan 31, with Trump reporting personal talks with Speaker Johnson, Senate Majority Leader Thune and Senator Schumer. [7][8]

Feb 2 2026 – The administration announces “Project Vault,” a $12 billion critical‑minerals reserve financed by the Export‑Import Bank and private investors. [7][8]

Feb 3 2026 – Gabbard arranges a brief speaker‑phone call that lets President Trump thank the FBI agents who seized the ballot boxes; the call contains no investigative directives. [6][14][20]

Feb 3 2026 – Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche first tells CNN he “didn’t know why the director was there,” then later praises Trump’s frequent contact with law‑enforcement, saying “I love it.” [6][5]

Feb 3 2026 – White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt states Trump “tapped” Gabbard to oversee election sanctity and that she works “directly alongside the FBI director.” [4][5]

Feb 4 2026 – Fulton County files a sealed federal lawsuit demanding the return of the seized 700 ballot boxes and unsealing of the warrant affidavit, alleging the FBI exceeded its authority. [13]

Feb 5 2026 – Conflicting accounts emerge as Trump first lauds Gabbard’s “hard work” on election safety, then later tells NBC News he “didn’t know” why she was present; Deputy Attorney General Blanche echoes uncertainty. [3][5]

Feb 6 2026 – Election‑technology expert Ryan Macias calls the FBI’s affidavit “gross mischaracterizations of the facts of how elections work,” criticizing the warrant’s basis. [2]

Feb 17 2026 – Fulton County accuses the DOJ of omitting material facts in the warrant application, alleging the FBI misled the magistrate judge about prior investigations and witness credibility. [2]

Feb 19 2026 – Trump visits Georgia, repeats that “we won by millions of votes but they cheated,” urges a federal takeover of elections, and hints at an executive order on voter fraud ahead of the November 2026 midterms; the trip targets the former Marjorie Taylor Greene district ahead of a March 10 special election. [18][19]

Future (Nov 2026) – The administration plans to issue voting‑related executive orders before the November midterms, though specifics remain under discussion. [15]

Future (Mar 10 2026) – A special election in Georgia’s former Marjorie Taylor Greene congressional district is scheduled, with Trump endorsing candidate Clay Fuller. [18]

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