The president urges Republicans to “take over” voting in multiple states — and hints at sweeping changes to how elections are run
President Donald Trump has escalated his rhetoric around U.S. elections, calling on Republicans to “nationalize” voting and “take over” election procedures in a number of states — remarks that immediately raised fresh concerns about how far his administration is willing to go to exert control over the electoral system.
Speaking during an extended appearance on a conservative podcast hosted by Dan Bongino, Trump said Republicans should seize control of voting operations in “at least many — 15 places,” though he declined to name which states he was referring to.
“The Republicans should say, ‘We want to take over,’” Trump said.
“We should take over the voting… The Republicans ought to nationalize the voting.”
Under the U.S. Constitution, elections are primarily governed by state law, resulting in a highly decentralized system administered by thousands of county and local officials. Trump’s comments, however, suggest a dramatic shift away from that model — one that would significantly expand federal or partisan involvement in elections.
The remarks come as Trump and his allies continue to promote false claims of widespread voter fraud, particularly involving undocumented immigrants — allegations that have been repeatedly debunked by independent reviews, state officials from both parties, and even audits conducted under Trump’s own administration.
Last week, agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation seized ballots and voting records from a Fulton County, Georgia election center tied to the 2020 election — an area where Trump allies have long pushed discredited fraud theories. The New York Times reported that Trump personally praised and thanked the FBI agents involved in the operation during a phone call.
At the same time, the Department of Justice has demanded that multiple states, including Minnesota, turn over full voter rolls, as the administration seeks to build a national voter database — a move that has alarmed voting-rights advocates.
In March, Trump signed an executive order attempting to impose sweeping election changes, including requiring documentary proof of citizenship and mandating that mail-in ballots be received by the time polls close on Election Day. Much of that effort has been blocked by courts.
Still, Trump has publicly pushed for even more extreme measures. In recent months, he has floated ending mail-in voting entirely and even questioned the continued use of voting machines. He has also said he regrets not deploying the National Guard to seize voting equipment following his 2020 election loss.
During the Bongino interview, Trump tied his push for partisan control of elections to immigration enforcement, claiming — without evidence — that undocumented immigrants are voting in large numbers.
“If Republicans don’t get them out, you will never win another election,” Trump said.
“It’s crazy how you can get these people to vote.”
There is no evidence supporting that claim. A 2024 audit by Georgia’s secretary of state found that out of 8.2 million registered voters, only 20 were non-citizens, and just nine had ever voted.
Trump’s escalating language comes amid a string of strong Democratic victories, including landslide gubernatorial wins in New Jersey and Virginia and a stunning special-election upset in Texas — fueling concerns among Republicans about a looming midterm backlash.
In response, Trump has pushed an aggressive strategy to gerrymander congressional maps, an effort that began in Texas and has since spread nationwide, becoming a central pillar of his midterm plan.
Whether Trump’s call to “nationalize” elections represents a concrete policy goal or a rhetorical escalation, the remarks mark one of his most explicit challenges yet to the traditional structure of American democracy.
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