Trump Seeks Control Over Midterm Election Rules

Trump's Push to Influence 2026 Midterm Elections Sparks Constitutional Concerns

With the 2026 midterm elections still months away, former President Donald Trump is already attempting to shape the rules of the game. In a move that has alarmed election experts and officials from both parties, Trump has called for Republicans to 'take over' elections in at least fifteen locations and 'nationalize' the voting process. This represents a significant escalation in his ongoing efforts to challenge established election procedures.

Constitutional Clash Over State Authority

The U.S. Constitution clearly delegates election administration to individual states, a principle that dates back to the nation's founding. 'When the Constitution was written, the states were very powerful,' explains Elaine Kamarck, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who has worked on Democratic presidential campaigns. 'They didn't want a strong central government. That remains a fundamental feature of the American system.'

Trump's recent statements have drawn criticism even from within his own party. Kentucky's election supervisor recently reminded the public of President Reagan's famous observation that 'the federal government did not create the states; the states created the federal government.' However, some local Republican officials continue to support Trump's position.

Unprecedented Federal Involvement

White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt attempted to clarify Trump's remarks, suggesting the president wants Congress to establish new rules rather than acting unilaterally. Yet Trump later doubled down, stating that federal intervention is necessary to address what he calls 'serious corruption' in Democratic cities like Detroit, Philadelphia, and Atlanta.

The situation took an extraordinary turn when the FBI recently seized ballots and voter lists from the 2020 election period in Fulton County, Georgia. Even more unusual was the involvement of Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who participated in a phone call with agents involved in the operation at Trump's personal direction. 'It's unprecedented for the DNI to be involved in a police action,' says Kamarck. 'The Trump administration has no business being there.'

Legacy of 2020 Election Challenges

Trump continues to make unsubstantiated claims about the 2020 election, despite numerous court rulings and investigations finding no evidence of widespread fraud. His former attorney Rudy Giuliani was ordered to pay $148 million in damages for defamation after making false claims about two Fulton County election workers. Dominion Voting Systems secured massive settlements from Fox News ($787.5 million) and Newsmax ($67 million) for spreading false claims about their voting machines.

Trump recently expressed regret that he didn't order the National Guard to seize voting machines in swing districts in 2020, stating: 'I should have done that.' He has also promoted the baseless theory that undocumented immigrants voted illegally for Biden, despite experts noting that voting would be the last thing someone without legal status would do.

Looking Ahead to November

Trump has indicated he will only accept the November election results if he believes the process was fair. 'If Republicans win, it was fair. If they lose, it was unfair according to him,' observes Kamarck. This stance raises concerns about potential challenges to election outcomes regardless of the actual results.

Election officials across the country are preparing for various scenarios, including potential executive actions, deployment of federal troops at polling places, and continued spread of election misinformation from government sources. While legal experts maintain that federal takeover of elections would be unconstitutional, the mere discussion creates uncertainty about the integrity of the upcoming midterms.

Sources

Politico: State election officials prepare for Trump interference
CNN: FBI concerns about election official distrust
Wikipedia: 2020 election lawsuits
AP: Fox News Dominion settlement