Trump officials explored bypassing election agency before firings

White House officials spent months seeking to bypass the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) and utilize emergency powers to implement changes to voting machines before President Donald Trump removed the agency's leaders, according to sources familiar with the matter. Some officials expressed frustration with the EAC's pace in updating voting machine guidelines and desired the inclusion of a proof-of-citizenship requirement on the national mail voter registration form.

Democratic lawmakers condemned the firings, viewing them as an effort to exert control over U.S. elections and compromise their integrity ahead of the midterm elections. Trump dismissed the agency's two Democratic commissioners and permitted its sole Republican commissioner to resign. The agency remains functional, but without a quorum, it cannot approve new business, including changes to voting procedures or the mail voter registration form.

The White House stated that the administration has been working across agencies and with local partners to safeguard elections from fraud and abuse, particularly in preparation for the midterms. Trump and his allies have advocated for nationwide voting changes, citing the need for voting system upgrades, while Trump continues to assert unsubstantiated claims about the 2020 election being stolen.

In a statement confirming the dismissals, the White House referenced a recent Supreme Court decision that expanded presidential authority to remove members of independent agencies. The statement indicated the president reserves the right to remove individuals not fully aligned with securing American elections. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer described the actions as a "brazen attempt to seize control of our elections before a single vote is cast."

As early as last fall, White House officials considered a recommendation from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) to declare a national emergency. This would have established a federal task force to compel states to address voting system vulnerabilities, bypassing the EAC. The ODNI had concluded, based on a probe of voting machines seized from Puerto Rico, that flaws existed which could be present elsewhere. Experts noted that the EAC's process for updating guidelines is inherently slow due to the complexity of voting systems and the need for extensive public feedback.

Despite the report never being published and the recommendation not being acted upon, complaints about the EAC persisted. Officials from the Department of Homeland Security, ODNI, and the White House met with EAC leaders to discuss concerns, including alleged flaws that they claimed contributed to abnormalities in the 2020 election, claims that have been widely disputed. The EAC is responsible for setting guidelines for state voting machine systems, and some Trump officials argued internally that certain states were using outdated software, feeling the agency was too slow to push for updates. The remaining EAC staff can still test and certify equipment, publish reports, and distribute federal grants.