Trump fires Election Assistance Commission members ahead of midterms

President Donald Trump has terminated the three remaining commissioners of the Election Assistance Commission, an independent federal body that aids election administration officials nationwide. The firings, confirmed by the White House, were communicated via email from the Presidential Personnel Office.

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On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position as Commissioner of the Election Assistance Commission is terminated, effective immediately. Thank you for your service.

This action follows a recent Supreme Court ruling that grants the president more authority to dismiss members of independent agencies. It also aligns with Trump's ongoing efforts to increase federal intervention in voting procedures, a domain traditionally managed by individual states, as the crucial midterm elections approach in November.

A White House official stated that the "President, and head of the Executive Branch, reserves the right to remove individuals that may not be totally aligned with the important task of securing America’s elections and ensuring every legal vote is counted." The official cited the Supreme Court decision as precedent and highlighted the administration's commitment to safeguarding elections from fraud and abuse.

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The President, and head of the Executive Branch, reserves the right to remove individuals that may not be totally aligned with the important task of securing America’s elections and ensuring every legal vote is counted.

The Election Assistance Commission, established in 2002, serves as a national resource for election administration information, accredits testing laboratories, certifies voting systems, and maintains the national mail voter registration form. The terminations occur amidst advocacy by Trump and his administration for changes to vote-by-mail requirements and ongoing scrutiny of election integrity.

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The Trump administration has been working across all agencies and local partners to safeguard elections from fraud and abuse, and investing in a strong infrastructure to sustain that mission especially in the midterm elections.