‘Unusual’ FBI Meeting With Election Officials Raises Questions as Trump Seeks to ‘Nationalize the Voting’

Election officials from across the United States have been invited to an unexpected and “unusual” briefing hosted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other federal agencies ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, raising questions about federal engagement in election administration. The invitation, confirmed by state officials who received it, is scheduled for February 25 and includes participation from the FBI, the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Election Assistance Commission. The invitation was signed by Kellie M. Hardiman, identifying herself as an “FBI Election Executive,” a role unfamiliar to many officials. The official who shared the invitation anonymously told reporters it was “unusual and unexpected,” adding that several states wondered about the purpose of the meeting and the authority of the newly titled FBI official.

The meeting comes amid mounting tensions between state election administrators and federal officials over the structure and security of elections. State officials, who are constitutionally responsible for setting and administering the rules of elections, have increasingly pushed back against federal actions they view as overreach. One unnamed election official said, «No one has heard of this person — and we're all wondering what an ‘FBI Election Executive' is,» underscoring uncertainty among administrators about federal intentions. The invitation itself stated the briefing would cover “preparations for the cycle, as well as updates and resources we can provide to you and your staff,” a description that has done little to quell speculation about the meeting's goals.

The context for this unusual invitation is a broader political backdrop in which President Donald Trump and some Republican allies have repeatedly expressed support for altering how elections are run.

In a recent interview on a conservative podcast, Trump said, «The Republicans should say: ‘We want to take over. We should take over the voting in at least — many, 15 places,'» and added:

«The Republicans ought to nationalize the voting.» Those remarks have alarmed election experts who view state control over elections as a constitutional guarantee. The U.S. Constitution gives states the primary role in administering elections, though Congress can set some regulations, and critics say any push to federalize elections threatens long-standing decentralization designed to safeguard electoral integrity.

Federal law enforcement's outreach to state officials has precedent, but the role outlined in the invitation appears novel and has generated commentary from legal and electoral experts.

According to Raw Story, Joyce Vance, a former U.S. attorney who served during the Obama administration and has written extensively on election-related legal issues, raised concerns about the “FBI Election Executive” title in a post published on her Substack. Vance suggested the new designation could signal an effort to expand federal influence over election administration ahead of a politically charged midterm cycle. In her commentary, she wrote:

«With Trump, his complaints about others are always projection: He wants to make sure he can steal the midterm elections if his party loses, and no better way to do that than to get election administration out of the hands of pesky officials who insist on doing a fair count.» Her remarks reflected broader unease among critics about the timing and purpose of the federal outreach.

The unusual invitation also follows a tense exchange at a recent gathering of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS), where federal and state officials debated election roles.

That meeting underscored deep divisions, with state election directors emphasizing their constitutional authority and federal representatives underscoring their interest in securing election systems against fraud and cyber threats. These divisions have been further inflamed by recent actions such as the Department of Justice's lawsuit seeking voter roll data from dozens of states, and an FBI raid on a county elections office in Fulton County, Georgia, related to the 2020 election. Together, these developments have heightened sensitivities among election officials about the boundaries of federal involvement.

As the 2026 midterms approach, the invitation to the federal briefing has become a flashpoint in broader national debates about election integrity, institutional authority and political influence. State officials plan to attend the February 25 meeting, but many said they approach it with caution, seeking clarity on agenda and intent. With President Trump reiterating the need for Republican success in November and urging a federalized approach to voting, the meeting has taken on added significance beyond routine preparations. Whether the discussion will assuage concerns or deepen mistrust among state election administrators remains to be seen, but the event has already sparked a national debate about federal and state roles in American elections.

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