President Donald Trump fired the three remaining members of the US Election Assistance Commission (EAC) on Thursday (July 9), an independent federal agency that assists authorities responsible for organizing elections across the country.
The commissioners were dismissed just months before the midterm elections, known in the US as "midterms." In November, the entire House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate will be up for renewal. Since returning to the White House, Trump has repeatedly claimed — without presenting evidence — that there was fraud in the 2020 election.
The dismissals come after the President advocated for changes to voting rules and ordered investigations into the election won by Joe Biden. Trump is also attempting to increase the federal government's influence over the electoral system, traditionally administered by the states. The White House confirmed the dismissals.
According to a government official, the President has the authority to remove people who "may not be fully aligned with the important task of ensuring the security of elections in the United States and ensuring that all legal votes are counted." The official further stated that the Trump administration has been working with agencies and local authorities to protect elections against fraud and abuse and to strengthen electoral infrastructure ahead of the midterm elections.
The three commissioners left their positions in different ways: the only Republican-appointed member resigned, while the two Democratic-appointed members were fired via email by the White House Presidential Personnel Office, according to two people familiar with the matter. The fourth commissioner had left the position in April.
The email sent to the commissioners, obtained by Reuters, read: "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. We thank you for your service."
The future of the commission is uncertain. Created by Congress in 2002, the EAC functions as a national support center for election administration. The United States does not have an entity like Brazil's Superior Electoral Court (TSE), and voting models differ across all 50 states. The EAC accredits testing laboratories, certifies voting systems, and maintains the national mail voter registration form created by the National Voter Registration Act of 1993.
While the law allows the President to appoint replacements, it remains unclear when or how Trump intends to reconstitute the commission. Democratic Senator Mark Warner of Virginia stated on social media that the decision should "concern all Americans, regardless of party."
"Removing all remaining commissioners just months before the 2026 midterm elections is an extraordinary measure that demands an immediate explanation from the administration and raises serious concerns about political interference in the institutions that support our elections," Warner said.
