President Donald Trump’s call for Republicans to "nationalize" elections drew pushback on Tuesday from lawmakers, including from a few Republicans, as Democrats voiced fresh concern that he intends to interfere with the November midterms that will determine control of Congress.
In a podcast interview with former FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino released on Monday, Trump repeated his false claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him and said his party should “take over” and "nationalize" voting in at least 15 places, without detailing what he meant.
Under the U.S. Constitution, state governments oversee elections, not the federal government, and most contests are administered by county and local officials.
Democratic officials and voting rights advocates said Trump’s comments, just days after the FBI searched the election office in Fulton County, Georgia, for 2020 ballots, show he plans to try to undermine or perhaps even manipulate the results of this year’s elections.
"This is not about the 2020 election," Democratic U.S. Senator Mark Warner of Virginia said at a press conference. "This is frankly about what comes next."
The president's party has historically lost seats in midterm elections, and Democrats need to flip only three Republican-held districts in November to gain control of the U.S. House of Representatives.
A senior Republican campaign operative told Reuters it did not appear there was an overarching strategy behind Trump's comments, beyond an ongoing Justice Department effort to procure voter rolls from many Democratic-leaning states.
Lawmakers and election experts were less sanguine.
“The last time he started talking like this, his allies minimized the risks and we ended up with Jan 6,” Brendan Nyhan, a political science professor at Dartmouth College, wrote on X, referring to the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by a mob of Trump supporters.
Trump has often expressed a desire to overhaul the country’s elections, based on false claims that his loss in 2020 to Democrat Joe Biden was fueled by fraud. He has called for mail-in ballots to be outlawed, questioned the security of voting machines and claimed falsely that millions of non-citizens regularly cast ballots.
The two top congressional Republicans, House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, did not offer support for taking over elections but defended Trump’s demands that voters provide proof of U.S. citizenship and photo identification.
Thune told reporters on Tuesday he was “not in favor of federalizing elections.”
“I'm a big believer in decentralized and distributed power,” he said. “It's harder to hack 50 election systems than it is to hack one.”
Johnson said it was unnecessary to take over elections in some states, but argued that Trump’s concerns about election integrity were justified.
Some Republicans briefly threatened on Tuesday to block a deal to end a partial government shutdown unless the bill included citizenship and voter ID provisions.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump wanted Congress to pass a separate Republican-authored bill, the SAVE Act, that includes those new voting requirements.
"The president believes in the United States Constitution," she said. "However, he believes there has obviously been a lot of fraud and irregularities that have taken place in American elections."
Several Trump allies in states with close races told Reuters they believe Trump might threaten to withhold federal election-related funding to states that resist new voting measures, such as ID requirements or limits on mail balloting.
The government provides hundreds of millions of dollars in federal assistance to states each year to help administer elections, including for voting equipment, cybersecurity upgrades and election worker training.
GEORGIA ELECTION OFFICE SEARCH
Last week, the FBI executed a search warrant for 2020 ballots in Fulton County, Georgia, a central battleground in Trump’s unsuccessful effort that year to remain in power, which will also host one of the most competitive Senate races this year. The county district attorney’s office charged Trump with election interference in 2023, though the case was dropped in November, a year after Trump won his second term in office.
Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, appeared in Georgia alongside the FBI, alarming Democratic lawmakers. It is highly unusual for the director of national intelligence to be involved in operations involving domestic elections, particularly if there is no clear foreign nexus.
Warner, who co-chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, has said Gabbard's office has not alerted Congress to any foreign threats to election infrastructure.
Gabbard's appearance in Georgia "under a thin veil of legitimacy" raised "serious legal and constitutional questions and politicizes an institution that must remain neutral and apolitical," Warner said on Tuesday.
Gabbard said in a letter to Warner and Congressman Jim Himes, the Democratic co-chair of the House Intelligence Committee, that Trump had requested her presence at the FBI raid last week. She also said she has the legal authority to coordinate and analyze election security matters.
In April, Gabbard said at a cabinet meeting that her office was investigating election integrity issues, asserting there was evidence that electronic voting systems are “vulnerable to exploitation to manipulate the votes being cast.”
© (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2026.
55 Comments
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Tamarama
He wants absolute power so bad....
Underworld
Trump is terrified of the mid-terms and he will get hammered in them, therefore he is trying everything he can to rig the elections.
Bob Fosse
Desperate, dangerous and dementia addled.
yakyak
The old rules don't apply anymore. The world cannot have AI control everything and keep politics stuck in the dark ages. The new world order has arrived.
Bob Fosse
I remember the quaint old days oh just a year or so ago when maga used to believe the constitution was inviolate.
stormcrow
Winston Churchill to a Socialist in the men’s room of Parliament. Churchill walked to the far end of the toilets away from the Socialist:
Socialist: Feeling a bit standoffish today, Winston, are we?
Churchill: Every time you see something big, you want to nationalize it!
It’s ironic that Trump wants to do the opposite of what conservatives would normally be completely against.
bass4funk
Absolutely. That's really what's at core here, growing up in California it's just a known fact and this is why the State is in a rapid downfall with more and more people leaving the state.
https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2026-01-08/californias-exodus-isnt-just-billionaires-its-regular-people-renting-u-hauls-too
sakurasuki
Basically another term, the election being centralized.
Fred Nerk
The rambling lunatic strikes again. Pathetic little child.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Nothing authoritarian about this president at all. Are MAGAs even self aware enough to realize when they've screwed up?
TaiwanIsNotChina
MAGAs have built in rigging for the US Senate and Supreme Court but that is not enough for them. No wonder they like Putin so much.
Bob Fosse
After all the investigations into 2020 voter fraud the only resuits were finding more votes for Biden, Fox paying a huge settlement and Giuliani getting tossed.
wallace
Trump's "State of the Union".
John-San
Alice: Absolutely. That's really what's at core here, growing up in California it's just a known fact and this is why the State is in a rapid downfall with more and more people leaving the state.
https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/04/23/california-is-now-the-4th-largest-economy-in-the-world/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20IMF's%202024,high%2Dtech%2C%20and%20agriculture.
California’s economy continues to dominate and grow at a faster rate than the world’s top economies, with new data showing it has overtaken Japan as the 4th largest economy in the world.
Where your data is a far right fascist propaganda publication.
My data is by government which scrutinised by world leading economist. Try again
Your fascist hero is hell bent on screwing the USA and you also and will break any constitutional law in doing so.
nickybutt
He wants America to be like Russia so bad!
Wasabi
And here is the beginning of the end of the democracy in the USA.
englisc aspyrgend
A fascist wannabe following the dictator’s playbook, how does president for life sound? Concentration camps to follow, but don’t worry only for traitors to their country like anyone disagreeing with the village idiot, whoops sorry I mean the Dear Leader!
sunfunbun
Absolutely wrong.
California, having just been there, is growing and lifestyle is wonderful.
It may be expensive, but also people are well paid.
Example is a fast food worker makes 20 dollars an hour or more. Minimum wage is 17 an hour.
A worker in a 5 star Japanese/International luxury hotel makes 10 dollars an hour, while someone at McDonalds makes 8 or less an hour, as minimum wage is 6.50 an hour.
The math says a 15 year old kid in California makes 170% over a trained experienced Hotel employee serving guests paying 1000 a night.
A reason why Japan stagnates while California prospers…fair wages vs inflation.
And nowhere in the USA compares to California’s economy.
As it passes Japan’s economy, false statements deriding California is flat out wrong.
patkim
Every so-called conspiracy theory Trump and his supporters tried to throw at the wall didn't stick. Every single one was proven false.
https://www.politifact.com/article/2020/nov/20/fact-checking-false-claims-about-2020-election/
Yet, Trump wants to cling to power so badly that he'll disregard any law and rule to keep it. Sounds so much like how Putin keeps his power.
bass4funk
But that has nothing to do with with the middle class leaving in droves. If you have and I mean an obscene amount of it, you can insulate yourself from the crime, homelessness and degradation, you take yourself out of the real world.
https://youtu.be/BSCK5YEeA-Y?si=7A-Vh95GVT_-KH1-
Hmmm
Quite the opposite
sunfunbun
It isn’t the start, been happening easily since 2016, exacerbates greatly by the insurrection, and getting worse every day Trump is in office.
But he’s only a symptom, the disease is the people of America who voted for him.
Bob Fosse
lol foxbusiness is the ‘most trusted business news source’. That’s a good one.
HopeSpringsEternal
Few around the World can believe the US does not even require Voter ID and in many radical far left states, presenting ID when voting is a CRIME!
Trump's correct, US elections are corrupt, Voter ID needed, just like in EVERY other Democracy
sunfunbun
Only one’s leaving are the conservatives who can’t handle being wrong, and incapable of having discourse with liberal people who are fair and speak in logic and truth.
patkim
If Trump really wanted to be respected and liked, all he has to do is to do the honorable and sane thing by following the rule of law and abide by the laws set forth in the Constitution. If Democrats end up controlling the House, so be it. The legally elected balance of powers end up doing more good for the nation, rather than letting one person control everything. Listening to various viewpoints and following actual expert and qualified advice from a range of opinions is much better than just following everything that comes out of one person's head.
bass4funk
Yes.
Top business news channel in U.S. cable TV In 2025, FBN has consistently outpaced CNBC in key viewership categories during business hours, market hours, and total day viewing according to Nielsen data.
FBN scored higher total viewers than CNBC in business day and total day viewership for multiple reporting periods in 2025 — including Q1, Q2, and Q3 — marking it as the #1 business news network on cable.
HopeSpringsEternal
In some states, like CA, votes are counted for MONTHS after elections and mail in ballots have no chain of custody, so it's a perfect election corruption scenario, everyone knows it, including SCOTUS
TaiwanIsNotChina
That's why Trump openly defies what the Constitution says on multiple fronts, right?
bass4funk
Quite the opposite
TaiwanIsNotChina
Because magical thinking says he isn't challenging the 10th amendment and 14th amendment?
TaiwanIsNotChina
And people thought it was crazy that California is trying to make sure Trump isn't on the ballot in 2028.
wallace
In Japan you only need to present your voting card. No ID required.
Bob Fosse
Bass all you have done in this thread is complain about California and ‘the left’.
Back to the topic.
Do you agree with going against the constitution and his party taking over elections?
Surely you don’t.
bass4funk
55 delegates, absolutely being the largest in the union, so it's very relevant.
Always
Scroll up, I explained tht already.
u_s__reamer
"Nationalize" elections? Surely another Freudian (or rather Stephen Miller) slip of Trump's tongue. "Nazionalize" would be what the addled wannabe "Buzz" Windrip really wanted to say. But "it can't happen here" because too many Americans have woke to smell his rancid brew of orange covfefe.
ThePunisher
No ID required in Australian elections, either. I would assume the same for the UK?
lincolnman
Over the past two weeks we have been treated to some STUNNING walk-backs, flip-flops, and utter hypocrisy from Trump and our MAGA-fans here…outright stunning reversals…
First, after declaring their ever-ending love for the 2nd Amendment, and their love for all their “guns” - and that any “gubment” that tries to pry their guns from their hands will be met with deadly force….they ROLLED OVER when Trump said Yes, My Gubment WILL take your beloved guns - and we’ll shoot you to death while doing it. Outrage? Cries of betrayal? Marching in the streets? Nope.
Then after years of raging about the Epstein cover-up - that “Dems” were protecting all the global elite fat cats that ran with Epstein, and Trump’s multiple promises to release ALL THE FILES and PROSECUTE EVRYONE…he doesn’t, and keeps 2.5 million docs hidden, and closes the investigation. Outrage? Cries of betrayal? Marching in the streets? Nope…
Which, along with his flip on “protecting the unborn”, just proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that MAGA-world stands for NOTHING - no core values, no principles, nothing, except blind obedience and subservience to their Orange Dear Leader….as their support here for this clear fascist "nationalize elections" move shows...
MAGA-world is radical, dangerous cult, pure and simple…
HopeSpringsEternal
Reason Democrats so motivated to cheat and oppose voter ID, demographic, fastest growing populations, 5 states supported Trump in 2024, 5 lowest growth supported Harris. Ditto why borders were opened up.
Turns out US citizens LIKE low crime, low taxes and mainstream non woke culture in Republican led states, US 2030 Census will result in a 10-16 'seat' shift in Congress from Democrat/Blue States to Republican/Red
Migration inside US, citizens are fleeing NY, CA, NJ, IL etc. and going to TX, FL, NC, GA, etc., so Democrat political power is fading fast, Hispanics like low taxes, pro religion, pro life and no men in women's sports!
funkymofo
Bass is desperately trying to distract from the article with irrelevancies about California and the middle class because he knows this is an anti democratic attempt by trump to steal the next election, which even he knows he’s going to lose, badly.
patkim
Trump has already gone after the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Amendments. What is next? He takes control of the press, instituted more censorship by the government, said that people shouldn't be carrying guns to protests, even though you may have a license to do so (here's looking at you Proud Boys), and allowed ICE to enter homes without a warrant, and stop cars without being in a marked vehicle and having no lights identifying them as ICE. What's next?
HopeSpringsEternal
Entire financial industry for example is shifting to Miami and Dallas and away from NYC, as industry wants lower taxes, crime, housing, regulations AND want to tap into growing political power and demographics of FL and TX
Companies follow the citizens, and Democrats are panicking because the trends are structural, Blue states have far higher debt loads, poorer credit ratings and far older and more expensive populations to support
Above = Why Democrats resist Voter ID, +86% of US countries supported Trump in 2024, only big Democrat 'sanctuary' cities supported Harris and now their Fed. Immigrant Welfare & other Fraud being exposed by DOJ
stickman1760
Haha, comical. If they had evidence they would release it immediately. Why wait?
also, just because a news station has the highest ratings doesn’t mean it reliable, especially in the US. MAGA tears.
jeffy
sunfunbun Today 08:55 am JST
This has to be the comment of the day. The liberal people you speak of say things like “Nobody is illegal,” when in fact there are people in the country illegally. The liberal people you speak of say that men can give birth to children, when in fact only women can give birth. The liberal people you speak of say “Black lives matter” is good and “White lives matter” is racist, when in fact the lives of all people matter. The liberal people you speak of say “Black pride,” “Asian pride,” “Latino pride” are to be celebrated and cherished and “White pride” is racism, when in fact all people should love their own roots while understanding and respecting the love others have for their roots. The liberal people you speak of talk about indigenous rights and the value of preserving native cultures, but then support the overturn of Western cultures by framing it as “dismantling systems of oppression” and countering “whiteness”. None of that is logical or truthful. And the reason I left California is so that I wouldn’t have to be surrounded by individuals who predicate every discussion on racism and victimhood and continually speak accusatorially against all things American.
bass4funk
If it wasn't, then it wouldn’t be the highest rated, it would be like the rest of its struggling news competitors.
stickman1760
If it wasn't, then it wouldn’t be the highest rated, it would be like the rest of its struggling news competitors.
no, just means there are a lot of uneducated people in the US where UFC and Budweiser beer are also incredibly popular.
lincolnman
Trump's "fake" claims of election fraud will just make him do what his best buds Rudy Giuliani and Rupert Murdoch were forced to do...
One had to pay out $787 million and the other $145 million for LYING ABOUT IT...
Keep talking about it Donald - the price you'll have to pay will just keep going up...
bass4funk
Tell that to the richest people on the planet who run the world, pick any label. Again, they're rich for a reason, being dumb is not one of them.
stickman1760
In California and New York, yes, many rich and highly intelligent people.
bass4funk
They are not the problem, they are the only reason why that state sink to the bottom of the abyss, the poor don't have it and their numbers are increasing and the middle class are leaving so yes, California has money, but without a functioning and vibrant middle class and just only being supported by the top 1% it's posed to becoming another failed state in the long run, NYC as well.
Blacklabel
why? He can’t win California…can he?
you all sure seem worried about lots of things you wouldn’t think you would need to worry about.
stickman1760
The top 1 percent, ie the only people Trump cares about. As if Trump is doing anything to restore the middle class in any state. Your twisted logic is laughable
Blacklabel
It’s a legitimate comment as to HOW investigating Georgia from 2020 today would interfere with midterm elections in November.
it wouldn’t- unless fraud is found.
Blacklabel
83% of US voters support voter ID with a photo.
what are Dems afraid of?
if you can’t “figure out” how to get an ID in 2026, im not sure you are intelligent enough to be voting.
stickman1760
Republicans have already investigated Georgia and have found nothing. The only thing fishy was when Trump asked Rathensburger to “find” him 11,000 more votes and he told Trump to get lost.
Blacklabel
The Top 5 states with new residents? All RED
Top 5 states people fleeing? All BLUE
if that is the case next census, it’s +7 House seats and +7 to Electoral College.
not to count any future illegal alien population loss from primarily blue states.
That needs to change also- that illegals are counted, should have never happened like that.