Trump Directs Justice Department to Intervene in Midterm Elections

President Donald Trump directed the Department of Justice to intervene in the 2026 midterm elections, initiating lawsuits to halt the certification of a U.S. Senate race in Alaska and block the counting of ballots in California. In Alaska, the administration sought to stop the certification of Democratic candidate Mary Peltola, alleging voter confusion caused by two candidates named Dan Sullivan on the ballot. Trump further called for Peltola's prosecution and offered a $1 million bounty for proof of voter fraud, stating he would only accept "honest elections."

Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the interventions as proper, but federal courts have consistently rejected the administration's requests. District Court Judge David O. Carter denied a request to set aside ballots in California, warning that democracy is in danger if the executive can discount votes based on unproven allegations.

Parallel efforts to purge alleged noncitizens from voter rolls have also faced setbacks. In Nevada, federal claims that 16,000 noncitizens were registered were reduced to 185 names, all of whom were later confirmed to be citizens. David Becker, leader of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, described the administration's strategy as a failure, noting that the government has lost 27 lawsuits attempting to seize sensitive voter data, including nine cases presided over by Trump-appointed judges.