A recent investigative report by ProPublica reveals that the Trump administration has systematically dismantled federal election integrity safeguards and replaced at least 75 career officials across key agencies with loyalists ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The extensive report details a concerted effort to reshape the federal government's role in elections, aligning with President Trump's stated goal to "take over" the midterms. This comes as concerns grow regarding the integrity of upcoming elections.
Investigative journalist Doug Bock Clark, whose tweet highlighted the "untold story of Trump’s efforts to, as he has called it, 'take over' the midterms," co-authored the ProPublica report. The investigation outlines how the administration has moved to exert greater federal control over voting processes, following the president's previous calls for Republicans to "nationalize the voting." This strategy includes pushing for actions that experts warn could undermine the freedom to vote.
The overhaul has seen the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) largely stripped of its election security functions, with all three dozen or so employees specializing in elections reportedly fired or transferred. Similar reductions or dismantling occurred in the National Security Council's election security group, the Foreign Malign Influence Center, and the FBI's public corruption team. The Justice Department's Public Integrity Section and Civil Rights Division's voting section have also experienced significant changes in mission and staffing.
Further details from the report include the formation of an internal "Team America" at the Department of Homeland Security, tasked with implementing the president's executive orders on elections. This group has reportedly worked to identify potential non-citizen voters, despite previous findings of inaccuracies in such data. The investigation also cited the ouster of FBI Atlanta field office head Paul Brown, who reportedly resisted a request from White House lawyer Kurt Olsen to seize 2020 ballots in Fulton County, Georgia, an action that later proceeded under Brown's replacement.
Experts and former officials express significant concern over these developments. Brendan Fischer, a director at the Campaign Legal Center, noted that "the election denial movement is now interwoven within the federal government," leading to more systematic efforts to influence how elections are run. Critics argue that the removal of experienced, non-partisan officials and the shift in agency focus could leave states vulnerable and erode public confidence in election outcomes.
