Trump Urges GOP to «take over» Elections in Escalation of Rhetoric

President Donald Trump has urged Republicans to «take over» and «nationalize» elections, escalating rhetoric about the US voting system as the 2026 midterm elections approach. Trump made the comments during an interview with former FBI director Dan Bongino, accusing states of corruption and falsely suggesting widespread electoral misconduct. «The Republicans should say, We want to take over,» Trump said.

«We should take over the voting … in at least many, 15 places. The Republicans ought to nationalize the voting. We have states that are so crooked and they're counting votes.» Trump did not provide evidence to support his claims or explain how such a takeover would be implemented within existing constitutional limits.

Trump's remarks reflect a continued effort to undermine confidence in election administration, particularly at the state level, which the US Constitution explicitly assigns authority over federal elections. While Trump has repeatedly asserted that elections are being improperly conducted, experts and election officials have consistently stated that noncitizen voting is extremely rare and already illegal.

During the interview, Trump expressed frustration that Republicans were «not tougher» on the issue, again alleging improper influence on outcomes. He offered no data to substantiate the claims, instead framing the issue as an urgent political failure by his party rather than a matter addressed through established legal and electoral safeguards.

The comments came as federal authorities carried out a highly sensitive action tied to the 2020 election. Last week, the FBI executed a court-authorized search at the Fulton County Elections and Operations Hub in Georgia, seizing original 2020 voting records. Georgia was a key swing state that Joe Biden won in 2020. Trump immediately pointed to the seizure as validation of his long-standing claims, despite the absence of any public findings indicating fraud.

«Now you're going to see something in Georgia where they were able to get, with a court order, the ballots,» Trump said. «You're going to see some interesting things come out.»

Trump's response to the FBI action fits a broader pattern in which he treats investigative steps as confirmation of wrongdoing, even when authorities have not alleged criminal conduct related to election results. Federal officials have not said the seized materials indicate fraud, and court records have not overturned Georgia's certified outcome. Nonetheless, Trump has continued to portray the investigation as evidence that his loss was illegitimate. He has repeatedly claimed he either won Georgia or was the victim of a rigged process, assertions that have been rejected by courts, state officials, recounts, and independent audits conducted after the 2020 election.

Democratic leaders reacted sharply to Trump's call to «nationalize» elections, warning that the proposal runs directly counter to constitutional law. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer denounced the comments on the Senate floor, saying Trump's statements were «outlandishly illegal». «Does Donald Trump need a copy of the Constitution?» Schumer said, pointing to the Elections Clause, which grants states authority over voting procedures subject to congressional regulation. Legal scholars have similarly noted that Trump's comments lack a legal framework and would require sweeping changes that Congress has neither debated nor approved.

Despite repeated debunking of his claims, Trump has continued to insist that the 2020 election was «rigged» or that he actually won, a narrative he has sustained throughout his presidency and beyond. The renewed focus on elections comes as Trump has warned Republicans that failure to win the midterms could lead to impeachment efforts against him. His rhetoric, critics argue, keeps election legitimacy at the center of partisan conflict while relying on allegations unsupported by evidence, even as federal investigations and court rulings have consistently affirmed the integrity of the 2020 vote.

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