With the 2026 US midterm elections approaching, Donald Trump has warned of possible vulnerabilities in the country’s voting infrastructure and alleged that foreign actors could interfere. Although he has not repeated his claim that the 2020 election was stolen in the same terms, Democrats and election experts see his rhetoric as a possible preparation for challenging unfavorable results.
Trump has repeatedly supported expanding federal influence over election procedures, which are traditionally administered by the states. His administration failed to change mail-voting rules before the election after the Supreme Court rejected its attempt in September. It also failed to pass legislation requiring voters to provide proof of citizenship and a passport, a requirement that would have affected many Americans who do not have one.
Election officials in Democratic-led states and voting-rights specialists are concerned less about one coordinated takeover than about several smaller actions that could create confusion and undermine confidence. Recent polls cited in the report suggest Democrats could regain majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, making Trump’s statement that he would accept the results if they were “honest” particularly significant.
The administration has pressured state election officials to prevent people it considers ineligible from voting. Letters from Washington warned that officials could face criminal prosecution if they failed to remove names from voter rolls, withhold ballots or decline to count certain votes. A judge rejected those threats, stating that election workers must be able to process and count ballots under state and federal law without intimidation.
The Justice Department has also pursued legal challenges against voting procedures and ballots. In California, the federal government sought to block ballots linked to 20,000 people it described as likely noncitizens. A federal appeals court rejected the request as incompatible with California law, after which the administration asked the Supreme Court to intervene.
In Alaska, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit connected to the Senate race involving Republican Dan Sullivan. The government argued that an independent candidate with the same name had been placed on the ballot as part of a Democratic effort to confuse voters and prevent Sullivan from winning. A judge dismissed the case, finding no realistic way to isolate the ballots for an investigation while preserving voter secrecy.
There are also concerns about possible federal action on Election Day. Federal agents could, with a court order, seize voting equipment or election materials. Trump said in a January interview that he should have sent soldiers to contested states after his 2020 defeat to confiscate allegedly faulty voting machines. This year, the FBI seized boxes of election records in Georgia, where Trump lost to Joe Biden by just over 11,000 votes. The findings of that investigation have not been released.
Critics have additionally warned that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers could be deployed near polling places, potentially intimidating voters in Democratic-leaning or immigrant-heavy areas. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin did not rule out such deployments if officials identified a threat or had an arrest warrant. The department said, however, that it had no targeted plans to place officers at polling stations, while federal law prohibits armed federal personnel from being sent to polling places.
A group of US security specialists has reportedly advised state governments and lawmakers, including Republicans, on preparing for possible election interference. Their guidance has included protecting election records and responding publicly to false claims.
Trump’s history suggests that allegations of fraud could continue after the vote. He has previously claimed, without evidence, that undocumented immigrants voted in large numbers, voting machines were manipulated and election workers discarded ballots for him. He has also questioned the legitimacy of mail-in voting. Experts fear that repeated claims could gain traction among a Republican base that has become increasingly skeptical of US elections, especially if close races produce prolonged disputes.
The most prominent example remains Trump’s 2020 call to Georgia election official Brad Raffensperger, whom he urged to find the votes needed to overturn his defeat. Allies also pressured officials in Michigan, Arizona and Pennsylvania, without changing the result. The organization States United Action says the number of election officials who deny the legitimacy of the 2020 election has since increased across 20 states, compared with 17 previously.
Courts rejected Trump’s fraud lawsuits in 2020 because they lacked evidence, and similar cases could meet the same fate. The report notes, however, that the Justice Department may play a different role this time because Trump has filled it with loyalists. In 2020, the department declined to join the legal challenges; that may not happen again.
Even unsuccessful lawsuits and unsubstantiated accusations could have lasting effects. Critics fear that sustained warnings about fraud may discourage Americans from voting and that a prolonged process for certifying the results could further weaken confidence in elections.
Sources: FAZ.