The narrative around the 2020 US presidential election has refused to fade into history, even as we sit in almost March 2026. President Joe Biden, during his term, repeatedly echoed the assessment from cybersecurity officials that it was "the most secure election in American history" — a claim rooted in statements from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) under then-director Chris Krebs, who affirmed no widespread fraud or manipulation. Yet, recent events under the second Trump administration have reignited scrutiny, with a high-profile FBI raid in Georgia suggesting to some that the story isn't as settled as once proclaimed. This isn't about relitigating the outcome, but rather examining fresh developments that challenge the "most secure" label. speculation.
The Catalyst: FBI Raid on Fulton County Election Records
The latest chapter unfolded on January 28, 2026, when FBI agents executed a search warrant at Fulton County's Elections Hub and Operations Center in Union City, Georgia. They seized pallets of physical ballots from the 2020 election, ballot images, tabulator tapes, digital data from voting machines, and voter rolls — essentially the core artifacts of how Georgia's votes were cast and counted. The warrant cited potential violations of federal election laws (U.S. Code Title 52, Sections 20511 and 20701), which cover crimes like fraudulent ballot procurement, casting, or tabulation, as well as improper destruction or retention of records. Penalties for these can be severe, including felonies.
This move came amid persistent claims from President Donald Trump that fraud in key states like Georgia cost him the 2020 race. Trump lost Georgia by about 11,779 votes, a margin confirmed through multiple recounts and audits at the time. But the raid's timing and optics have fuelled debate: Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was reportedly on-site and facilitated a call between Trump and the agents, an unusual level of high-level involvement that critics label as political meddling. Trump himself amplified the event on Truth Social, repostingtheories about "stacks of ballots" being scanned multiple times at State Farm Arena and declaring "prosecutions are coming."
Fulton County officials, led by Commission Chairman Robert Pitts and the Board of Registration and Elections, quickly pushed back. On February 4, 2026, they filed a motion in federal court demanding the immediate return of the seized materials and the unsealing of the warrant's supporting affidavit. They argue the raid disrupts local election operations and lacks transparency, especially with midterm elections looming in November 2026. Pitts emphasised Fulton County's role as a "poster child" for such scrutiny, given its Democratic lean and history of being targeted in 2020 fraud allegations.
This isn't happening in a vacuum. In November 2024, Georgia's Republican-controlled State Election Board subpoenaed similar 2020 materials from Fulton County, setting the stage for federal involvement. Experts like UCLA law professor Rick Hasen describe the FBI's action as "unprecedented," warning it could erode trust in elections by using federal power to revive unsubstantiated narratives. The Brennan Center for Justice called it an "escalation in the administration's campaign to discredit the 2020 election results," potentially laying groundwork for interference in future votes.
On the flip side, supporters of the investigation point to lingering questions from 2020, such as reports of "pristine" mail-in ballots without creases (suggesting they weren't mailed), deleted ballot images, and discrepancies in vote tallies — issues raised in the Spectator article and echoed in conservative circles. The current probe might uncover new details through forensic analysis of the seized items.
This ties back to Biden's security claim. CISA's 2020 assessment was based on safeguards like paper ballots in 93% of jurisdictions, post-election audits, and no evidence of foreign hacks or widespread irregularities. Yet, if the FBI's investigation reveals violations — even isolated ones — it could chip away at that narrative. Critics argue the raid is more about 2026 and 2028 (e.g., justifying federal oversight of "Democratic-run" areas, as Trump has suggested) than revisiting 2020.
As this "denouement" plays out — a term the Spectator piece uses to suggest a climactic revelation — watch for court rulings on the materials' return and affidavit unsealing, which could shed light on the probe's basis. Potential outcomes range from vindication for sceptics (if fraud is proven) to backlash against perceived overreach (if it's seen as a witch hunt). In a polarised era, it underscores the fragility of election trust: Over 70% of Republicans still believe 2020 was stolen, per polls, and I am one of them.
https://spectator.com/article/rapidly-approaching-denouement-2020-election/