Trump looked to bypass federal election agency, report says
A report indicates that the Trump administration explored using emergency powers to bypass the Election Assistance Commission to address alleged voting system vulnerabilities. The administration subsequently removed the agency's leadership.
Why it matters
The move raises questions about the independence of federal election oversight bodies and the limits of executive authority regarding election administration.
The White House explored declaring a national emergency to address alleged vulnerabilities in voting machines before Trump ousted leaders of the Election Assistance Commission, a report has found.
https://p.dw.com/p/5Gup8 It was not immediately clear why US President Donald Trump decided to force the commissioners out or if they will be replaced [FILE: July 8, 2026] Advertisement The White House explored options for bypassing a bipartisan federal election agency and using emergency powers to push changes to voting systems before US President Donald Trump removed the agency's leadership this week, Reuters reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
Among the issues that irked the Trump administration about the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) were:
On Thursday, Trump dismissed the two Democratic members of the EAC; its remaining Republican commissioner resigned. A fourth commissioner had stepped down in April.
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