Trump Urges Republicans to 'Nationalize' Elections and Take Voting From the States

In a February 2, 2026 podcast interview with Dan Bongino, President Trump called for Republicans to "nationalize elections" and take over voting in at least 15 unspecified locations. He repeated the position in the Oval Office the next day, saying, "The federal government should get involved... If they can't count the votes legally and honestly, then somebody else should take over."

Under the Constitution's Elections Clause, states set the time, place and manner of congressional elections, subject to alteration by Congress; election administration itself is a state and local function, and the President has no independent authority over it. Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows responded, "Oh, hell no," and offered to mail the White House a pocket Constitution. Missouri's Republican secretary of state, Denny Hoskins, said he did not believe elections should be nationalized, and Georgia's Brad Raffensperger argued for strengthening state administration instead.

No formal federal action followed the remarks in the same week, but state and local election officials told Stateline they were developing security protocols and contingency plans for possible federal interference on Election Day ahead of the 2026 midterms.