President Donald Trump on Monday urged Republicans to “take over” and “nationalize” voting, repeating false claims about the U.S. electoral process with the 2026 midterm elections approaching.
Trump made the remarks during an interview with former FBI Director Dan Bongino, who resigned in December and has returned to podcasting. During the conversation, Trump again alleged that noncitizen voting is shaping election results—an accusation election experts say is exceedingly rare and already illegal. He told Bongino it was “amazing that the Republicans aren’t tougher on it.”
“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.”
Under the Constitution, states are responsible for administering federal elections, within the framework of laws passed by Congress. The elections clause states, in part, that “state legislatures will establish the times, places, and manner of holding elections for the House of Representatives and the Senate.” Trump did not explain what a plan to “nationalize” voting would look like in practice.
When asked by ABC News to clarify Trump’s comments, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said, “President Trump cares deeply about the safety and security of our elections — that’s why he’s urged Congress to pass the SAVE Act and other legislative proposals that would establish a uniform standard of photo ID for voting, prohibit no-excuse mail-in voting, and end the practice of ballot harvesting.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, the chamber’s top Democrat, sharply criticized Trump on the Senate floor, arguing the president was calling for something incompatible with the Constitution.
“Just a few hours ago, Donald Trump said he wants to nationalize elections around the country. That’s what Trump said. You think he believes in democracy? He said, ‘We want to take over, the Republicans ought to nationalize the voting,’” Schumer said. “Does Donald Trump need a copy of the Constitution? What he is saying is outlandishly illegal.”
The comments come as control of Congress hangs in the balance this year. All House seats and 35 Senate seats will be contested, and Republicans currently hold narrow majorities in both chambers—though midterms have historically been difficult for the party holding the White House.
Trump’s allies have also pushed other political strategies aimed at boosting Republican prospects. Last year, Trump and other Republicans called for mid-decade redistricting to try to gain additional House seats. The president also warned Republicans last month that they must win the midterms or he could face impeachment.
Trump Keeps Revisiting 2020, Citing Georgia Ballot Seizure
Trump also used the interview to revisit his 2020 election loss, continuing to promote false fraud claims.
Last week, the FBI searched and seized original 2020 voting records from the Fulton County Elections and Operations Hub in Georgia, a swing state that went blue in 2020 and helped secure Joe Biden’s victory.
“Now you’re going to see something in Georgia where they were able to get, with a court order, the ballots. You’re going to see some interesting things come out,” Trump said on Bongino’s podcast.
