President Trump has directed the CIA and other U.S. intelligence agencies to provide election-related intelligence to Kurt Olsen, a former campaign lawyer who previously took part in the “Stop the Steal” effort challenging the 2020 election, according to a U.S. intelligence official and a source familiar with the matter.
The administration hired Olsen last year to investigate the 2020 election. A CIA official said in a statement, “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 White House official 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.”
Court documents released Tuesday state that the FBI’s search of an elections center in Fulton County, Georgia, which resulted in the seizure of 2020 ballots and voter records, originated from Olsen.
After the 2020 election, the White House pressed the Justice Department to challenge the results before the Supreme Court based on fraud claims. Documents released in 2021 by the House Oversight Committee show Olsen, acting as a private lawyer for Trump at the time, urged Justice Department officials to file a Supreme Court brief challenging the results. The Justice Department declined.
