Experts alarmed as Trump launches broad-front attack on US voting rights
The Trump administration is using justice department lawsuits, FBI investigations and an executive order to restrict voting rights based on unsubstantiated claims of 2020 election fraud, experts say.
Multi-pronged assault on voting rights
Since Donald Trump's second term began, his administration has launched a broad campaign against voting rights. The Justice Department has filed lawsuits against 30 states seeking sensitive voter data, despite states controlling elections by law. The FBI has opened investigations into debunked fraud allegations in Georgia, Wisconsin and other swing states Trump lost in 2020.
In March 2026, Trump issued an executive order sharply tightening mail-in voting rules, giving the US Postal Service unprecedented powers to make voting by mail harder. These moves proceed despite laws empowering states and Congress to set election rules, sparking lawsuits from states and nonpartisan voting rights groups.
Criticism from experts and former officials
Former federal official Eileen O'Connor of the Brennan Center said the Justice Department has no authority to demand voter rolls from all states. She noted that the lawsuits are only part of a broader campaign that includes targeting election officials, rewriting election rules, pardoning January 6 rioters and elevating election deniers.
Larry Noble, former general counsel at the Federal Election Commission, warned that Trump's executive order could disenfranchise millions of voters while doing nothing to eliminate virtually non-existent voter fraud. He pointed out that numerous audits and lawsuits have found no meaningful fraud in the 2020 election.
Potential impact on midterm elections
Trump and his allies have expressed fears that Democrats could win control of the House and possibly the Senate in the November midterms. Trump told Republican lawmakers in January that it is crucial to win the midterms, otherwise he could face impeachment.
The Justice Department has revamped its voting section, reducing staff from about 30 lawyers to less than half and hiring new lawyers involved in challenging Trump's 2020 loss. For instance, former Republican congressman Dan Bishop was tapped to lead a national drive against voter fraud.
The FBI has raided election centers in Georgia, seized data in Arizona, demanded ballots in Michigan and expanded inquiries to Wisconsin. These actions mirror Trump's unsubstantiated claims that he won the 2020 election.
Legal challenges and future risks
Several federal courts have blocked major parts of Trump's 2025 executive order requiring a passport to register to vote. The administration has appealed. Republican consultant Charlie Black acknowledged these attempts are clearly unconstitutional, as states run elections, not the federal government.
