Donald Trump Moves to Nationalize 2026 Midterm Election Voting

President Donald Trump is attempting to increase federal control over the 2026 U.S. midterm elections through a series of executive actions and personnel changes. On July 9, 2026, Trump fired the remaining Democratic members of the Election Assistance Commission, which triggered the resignation of the final Republican member and left the agency without leadership.

The administration's strategy includes pushing for the SAVE America Act to mandate documentary proof of citizenship and restrict mail-in voting. Trump also issued executive orders to create a federal list of eligible voters. Simultaneously, the Department of Justice is suing at least 29 states to obtain voter registration databases and deploying monitors to 15 jurisdictions across six states.

Democratic lawmakers and voting rights groups characterize these maneuvers as a power grab to subvert the midterms. In contrast, the administration asserts these actions are necessary to prevent fraud and protect election integrity. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer condemned the dismantle of the Election Assistance Commission as a brazen attempt to seize control of the electoral process.