Republicans Should Control Voting, Trump Says

President Donald Trump suggested Monday that Republicans should seize control of voting procedures across multiple states before the midterm elections. Speaking with former FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino, Trump laid out his vision for Republican dominance over election administration.

"The Republicans should say, 'We want to take over, we should take over the voting — the voting in at least many, 15 places,'" Trump said, adding that "The Republicans ought to nationalize the voting."

Trump also repeated his false assertion that he won the 2020 election, claiming "We have states that I won that show I didn't win." Courts and election officials across the country have found no evidence supporting claims of widespread fraud that would have altered the election outcome.

White House Defends Federal Election Push

The administration framed Trump's comments as concern about election security. White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told The Hill that Trump supports the SAVE Act and related proposals requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration, mandatory photo identification, and restrictions on mail-in voting and ballot harvesting.

Beyond rhetoric, the administration has taken concrete steps toward federal involvement. The White House has requested state voter rolls, and the Justice Department has filed lawsuits against roughly two dozen states that declined to hand over voter data. States have cited concerns about protecting sensitive personal information including Social Security and driver's license numbers.

Bipartisan Opposition Emerges

Trump's call to nationalize elections drew criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle who view election administration as a state responsibility.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) didn't hold back on the Senate floor. "Just a few hours ago, Donald Trump said he wants to nationalize elections around the country. You think he believes in democracy? He said, 'We want to take over, the Republicans ought to nationalize the voting," Schumer said.

He questioned whether Trump understands basic constitutional principles: "Does Donald Trump need a copy of the Constitution? What he is saying is outlandishly illegal."

But it wasn't just Democrats pushing back. Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) made clear he opposes federal control regardless of which party proposes it.

"I opposed nationalizing elections when Speaker Pelosi wanted major changes to elections in all 50 states. I'll oppose this now as well," Bacon wrote on X. "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."

The tension highlights a fundamental divide over who should control American elections—an issue that touches everything from voting procedures to ballot access to vote counting. Under the Constitution, states have traditionally managed their own election systems, though federal law sets certain baseline requirements for federal elections.