United States President Donald Trump has escalated attacks on the electoral system, urging Republicans to “nationalise” voting in at least 15 states ahead of November’s midterm elections and repeating unsubstantiated claims that the 2020 presidential vote was stolen from him.
Trump
In a podcast with Dan Bongino this week, Trump declared: “The Republicans should say, ‘We want to take over. We should take over the voting… The Republicans ought to nationalize the voting.” He reiterated the idea Tuesday in the Oval Office, questioning why the federal government does not already control elections.
Trump alleged “extremely corrupt” areas prevent proper voting, telling NBC News on February 4: “If elections can’t be done properly and timely, then something else has to happen.” The comments drew Democratic backlash amid polls showing weak approval in his second term and Republican local defeats.
Legal experts like Loyola’s Justin Levitt slammed the proposal as unconstitutional, noting: “The Constitution clearly says that states are the ones that do the running of elections. There is no debate about this.” UCLA’s Rick Hasen warned it signals potential federal interference in 2026 races.
The administration has intensified probes, with the FBI seizing Georgia ballots on January 28 under Tulsi Gabbard and Justice Department lawsuits seeking voting records in 20 states, falsely claiming mass undocumented migrant voting.
Civil rights groups decried the moves, while Trump ally Steve Bannon threatened: “We’re going to have ICE surround the polls come November… we will never again allow an election to be stolen.”
Trump, facing potential third impeachment if Republicans lose Congress, told Davos leaders in January: “It was a rigged election. Everybody now knows that.”
Ravenewsonline reports heightened tensions as midterms near.
