Expert Brief The Trump Administration's Campaign to Undermine the Next Election

The executive branch is interfering in U.S. elections in unprecedented ways.

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The Trump administration has launched a concerted drive to undermine American elections. These moves are unprecedented and in some cases illegal. They began with the pardon of the January 6 defendants who sought to overturn the 2020 results. They include affirmative attacks on democratic institutions, the repeal and withdrawal of voter protections, and symbolic or demonstrative moves. A clear pattern suggests a growing effort. As the 2026 midterms approach, that effort will likely gather momentum.

This resource offers the first chronicle of the Trump administration’s actions this year to undermine election integrity. They include:

* attempting to rewrite election rules to burden voters and usurp control of election systems;
* targeting or threatening to target election officials and others who keep elections free and fair;
* supporting people who undermine election administration; and
* retreating from the federal government’s role of protecting voters and the election process.

Why do we conclude this represents a concerted strategy? Among other things, President Trump tried to do this before. He was the first president to try to overturn the results of a presidential election and used federal power to do so. Institutions and key officials blocked him. These internal checks, however, are now gone, and many public officials will likely carry out the president’s will.

This campaign to undermine elections runs afoul of the U.S. Constitution. Only Congress and the states can set election rules. The executive branch, especially the Department of Justice (DOJ), is charged with enforcing federal laws. But neither the president nor the DOJ has the authority to set rules governing elections or to supervise the state and local officials who run them.

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https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/trump-administrations-campaign-undermine-next-election

This is a long read.