How Trump Could Undermine the US Midterms
Donald Trump continues to question election legitimacy and take actions that could affect the outcome of the 2026 November midterm elections.
Former President Donald Trump still insists that the 2020 election, which he lost to Joe Biden, was illegitimate. He has stated that US elections are vulnerable to rigging and that public trust was lost. These allegations come as Republicans are likely to lose seats in the Senate and House of Representatives, given Trump's low approval rating of 37%.
Trump is urging Congress to pass the Save Act, which would give the federal government more control over elections, including requiring voters to present a passport or birth certificate to register and a narrowly defined photo ID to vote. Opponents argue such restrictions disproportionately affect Black, Native, elderly, and student voters.
Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes considers the biggest threat to be "the continued lies coming out of the White House." He warns that Trump's actions could trigger violence, recalling the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.
Trump has tried to restrict mail-in voting, despite using it himself. His administration could use the US Postal Service (USPS) to control the flow of mail-in ballots. Eight states and the District of Columbia rely almost exclusively on postal ballots. A federal judge has already ruled unconstitutional a plan requiring states to turn over voter roll information to the federal government.
Regarding voting machines, Trump claims China could compromise electronic voting machines. Although officials concluded China did not interfere, voting rights advocates fear Trump may try to block their use by citing national security.
The White House has weakened election security by firing members of the Election Assistance Commission and reducing staff at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) dealing with election cyber threats.
Trump allies like Steve Bannon call for deploying Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at polling places, though federal law prohibits it. Voter intimidation has already occurred, such as armed contractors confronting voters in Arizona.
Georgia state Senator Saira Draper warns that Trump's rhetoric deliberately undermines trust in elections, creating "foot soldiers" for his cause. Some supporters already serve on election boards and refuse to certify results, potentially causing chaos.
