White House delays report on US voting machine vulnerabilities as midterm elections approach: report
White House officials are delaying the release of a U.S. intelligence report that uncovered vulnerabilities in the country’s voting machines ahead of the November midterm elections, according to people familiar with the matter told Reuters.The report, prepared by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), outlines security weaknesses in voting systems and recommends measures such as software updates to strengthen protections. The report does not claim that votes were changed or that the election results were affected, the sources said.Some White House officials believe releasing the report could erode voter confidence, while others believe it provides no evidence to support the president, sources said. Donald TrumpClaims the 2020 election was rigged.outgoing director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard A review of voting machines was launched as part of a broader government effort to review election security. She will be replaced on an interim basis by Bill Pulte, who has been briefed on the report, sources said.The report is part of a broader government push to increase federal oversight of elections following Trump’s 2025 executive order. However, under the U.S. Constitution, states retain primary authority over election administration.Reuters sources said the report highlighted issues such as outdated software and internet-connected systems that could be vulnerable to cyberattacks. They added that they were unaware of any evidence that voting machines were used to manipulate the election results.Another government-commissioned report examining voting machines seized from Puerto Rico has also not yet been published. The report found no evidence that the machines had been hacked, but it recommended software upgrades to address the discovered vulnerabilities, according to the source.In response to a question about the delay, White House spokesman Davis Ingle said the government “continues to provide assistance to state and local election officials, including through the FBI and CISA, to ensure the security and integrity of all machines used in U.S. elections.”Olivia Coleman, a spokesperson for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, said Gabbard had “taken actions within the scope of her authority” to “support the president’s directive to secure our elections, which includes identifying vulnerabilities in our critical infrastructure.”
