President Donald Trump said Monday he would like to see Republicans “nationalize” U.S. elections, arguing—without evidence—that immigrants have been brought in to influence outcomes and that widespread fraud occurred in states including Georgia.
Speaking with Dan Bongino, who recently left his role as deputy director at the FBI, Trump claimed the voting system is corrupt and suggested that control over elections should be taken away from states—an idea that would run headlong into how the Constitution assigns election authority.
“The Republicans should say, ‘We want to take over. We should take over the voting in at least 15 places.’ The Republicans ought to nationalize the voting,” Trump said on The Dan Bongino Show.
The remarks quickly drew criticism from across the political spectrum. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the proposal “outlandishly illegal.”
Why It Matters
Trump has repeatedly alleged elections are rigged against him, even though he won two of the three presidential elections he has run in. He has continued to promote widely debunked claims that ballots were altered or stolen in the 2020 election, which he lost to former President Joe Biden, and he has also suggested—contrary to law and evidence—that undocumented immigrants have been able to vote in some states.
His latest comments arrive as he has signaled interest in changing election rules ahead of the 2026 midterms, fueling concerns among Democrats and some legal experts about efforts that could undermine constitutional guardrails.
What To Know
A former federal judge was among those pushing back, urging Trump to review the Constitution. Former U.S. District Judge John E. Jones III told CNN that state legislatures—not the president—are responsible for deciding how elections are administered.
“What he’s proposing is not legal,” Jones said Monday.
The Constitution explicitly addresses election administration:
“The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing Senators,” Article I, Section 4 reads.
Even if a president wanted to overhaul how elections are run—such as creating a national body to manage them—such a shift would require action by Congress. It is not something the president can implement unilaterally.
The renewed debate over election security follows recent developments in Georgia, where federal agents raided the Fulton County election office as part of an investigation tied to the 2020 election results. Fulton County was a major flashpoint after that election, as Trump and his allies focused on Georgia while alleging fraud.
Multiple investigations have found no evidence of widespread fraud or that Trump won the 2020 election. Still, Trump has continued to insist the race was stolen.
On Monday, he urged Republicans to take control of elections and move toward a nationalized system rather than one run state by state. The remarks fit into a broader push by the administration to reshape voting policy, including now-halted plans that would have required proof of citizenship to register to vote.
What People Are Saying
Democratic New York Senator Chuck Schumer, speaking Monday: “Does Donald Trump need a copy of the Constitution? What he’s saying is outlandishly illegal. Once again, the president’s talking no differently than a dictator who wants elections in America to be as legitimate as elections in countries like Venezuela.”
Republican Nebraska Representative Don Bacon, on X: “I opposed nationalizing elections when Speaker Pelosi wanted major changes to elections in all 50 states. I’ll oppose this now as well. I work w/the NE Gov & Unicameral to ensure we have secure elections where every citizen’s vote counts. This is what the Constitution calls for.”
Justin Amash, who describes himself as a libertarian Republican Constitutional conservative on X: “Republicans should not, in fact, ‘nationalize the voting.’ If you were worried about election integrity before, this would make things infinitely worse. Decentralized elections are one of the greatest protections against large-scale fraud and abuse.”
Veterans for Responsible Leadership, a pro-democracy advocacy group, on X: “Trump now says we should nationalize voting. A big f*** you to everyone that still says they are a conservative and supports Trump. It was all a lie that they said they believe in small government and state and local control. The biggest hypocrites on earth.”
Trump has made similar arguments before. In an August 2025 social media post referencing an as-yet-unsigned executive order, he wrote: “Remember, the States are merely an ‘agent’ for the Federal Government in counting and tabulating the votes. They must do what the Federal Government, as represented by the President of the United States, tells them, FOR THE GOOD OF OUR COUNTRY, to do.”
What Happens Next
Schumer warned that the GOP’s SAVE Act could be used as a vehicle to push toward nationalized election standards. Meanwhile, the Georgia investigation is ongoing.
