Delayed reporting of voting vulnerabilities
White House officials have delayed the release of a US intelligence report identifying vulnerabilities in the country’s voting machines before the November midterm elections, according to Reuters sources familiar with the matter.The report, prepared by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), identifies security vulnerabilities in voting systems and recommends actions such as software updates to strengthen protection. The sources said that the report does not claim that votes were changed or that the election results were affected.According to the sources, some White House officials felt that publishing the report could undermine voter confidence, while others felt that it did not provide evidence to support President Donald Trump’s claims that the 2020 election was rigged.Outgoing Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard launched a review of voting machines as part of a broader administration effort to examine election security. The sources said that Bill Bolt will succeed her on a temporary basis, after being informed of the report.The report is part of a broader administration push in the wake of Trump’s 2025 executive order aimed at increasing federal oversight of elections. But under the US Constitution, states retain primary authority over election administration.
Reuters sources said that the report highlights issues including outdated software and Internet-connected systems that may be vulnerable to cyber attacks. They added that they are not aware of any evidence that voting machines were used to manipulate the election results.A separate government-commissioned report examining voting machines seized from Puerto Rico also remains unpublished. According to sources, this report found no evidence that the devices had been compromised, although it recommended updating software to address the identified vulnerabilities.In response to questions about the delay, White House spokesman Davis Engel said the administration “continues to provide assistance to state and local election officials, including through the FBI and CISA, to ensure the security and integrity of all devices used in U.S. elections.”Olivia Coleman, a spokeswoman for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, said Gabbard had taken “actions within her authorities” to “support the President’s directives to secure our elections, which includes identifying vulnerabilities in our critical infrastructure.”
