As the 2026 midterm elections approach, concern is growing among pro-democracy activists that the Trump administration is executing a sweeping campaign to undermine the democratic process and entrench Republican power. The most visible tactic is the GOP’s brazen attempt to redraw the Texas congressional map mid-decade, engineered to deliver five additional Republican seats. This extreme gerrymander dilutes minority voting strength and stretches districts across regions in service of trying to maintain Republican control of Congress.
But this could be just the beginning.
A comprehensive new report from the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law reveals a disturbing, under-the-radar scheme to rewrite election rules, intimidate election workers, manipulate voter data, and weaponize federal agencies. At the heart of this plan is Trump’s March 25 executive order and the GOP’s SAVE Act, which together would disenfranchise more than 21 million Americans, mostly women, and force states into costly, chaotic recertification of voting machines.
The Trump administration is centralizing election control in the executive branch, something the Constitution forbids. As the Brennan Center notes, “The president has no right to rewrite the country’s election rules or regulate federal elections on his own.” Yet Trump is doing exactly that, while his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) accesses sensitive voter files, opening the door to purges, doxing, and even foreign interference.
Meanwhile, a climate of fear is spreading among election officials. Many are resigning or declining to serve in 2026 due to escalating threats, legal intimidation, and personal harassment. Pardoning January 6 insurrectionists only amplifies the message: Trump and his allies condone violence against democracy.
This effort is deeply tied to a broader strategy to suppress labor power and progressive organizing. As AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler notes, the GOP understands that weakening voting rights weakens working people’s rights. By disenfranchising millions and silencing opposition, the Trump coalition consolidates corporate control over both the workplace and the ballot box.
This is not merely a repeat of Trump’s failed 2020 election denial campaign. It’s a more calculated, institutionally embedded assault on American democracy. If unchecked, it could reshape the 2026 election, not through the will of the people, but through a restricted system.
Guest:
Sean Morales-Doyle, is director of the Brennan Center's Voting Rights and Elections Program.
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This episode will be recorded on Wednesday, August 6, 2025.
