Donald Trump just refused to shut down one of the most alarming political scenarios heading into the 2026 midterms. The president addressed whether he would use emergency powers to assert federal control over upcoming elections.
Donald Trump declined to rule out declaring a national security emergency involving the 2026 election
President Donald Trump declined to rule out declaring a national security emergency to control the 2026 midterm elections in a recent interview with Real America’s Voice, CNN reports. Host Wayne Allyn Root suggested Trump could declare such an emergency to enforce photo ID, proof of citizenship for voter registration, and limits on mail-in ballots. Trump responded by saying, “Let me just say that stranger things have happened, OK? I’ll leave it at that.”
Root pitched the idea as an alternative after the Senate failed to pass Trump’s “SAVE America Act.” He claimed a national security emergency declaration could only face a two-thirds override vote from both houses of Congress. Trump often responds to hypotheticals by declining to rule them out regardless of how extreme the proposal might be.
The administration has already taken several steps to assert federal control over elections. Trump’s executive order threatened to have the US Postal Service withhold mail ballots from non-compliant states. Federal courts blocked that order, and the administration recently appealed to the Supreme Court.
Democrats use mail ballots at significantly higher rates than Republicans. Trump has baselessly connected mail-in voting to widespread fraud throughout his political career. The administration also seized 2020 ballots in Fulton County, Georgia, to try to substantiate those claims.
Trump delivered a primetime address about election security on July 16 that focused heavily on China. Ty Cobb, who served as White House counsel in Trump’s first term, interpreted the speech as a “predicate that he needs to declare an emergency.” Pro-Trump activists also circulated a potential executive order claiming Chinese interference justified emergency authorities over 2026.
The Constitution makes it difficult for any president to truly nationalize elections. Courts have overwhelmingly upheld the principle that states run their own elections. Presidents generally hold more authority to act unilaterally on national security matters, but experts remain skeptical such efforts would survive legal challenges.
