Trump Undermines 2026 Midterm Safeguards as Approval Sinks to 37%
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jul 26
Trump Undermines 2026 Midterm Safeguards as Approval Sinks to 37%
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jul 26
Summary
Trump has intensified attacks on the 2026 election system, reviving false 2020 fraud claims and alleging Chinese interference as voting-rights advocates warn he is laying groundwork to contest November results.
His administration is targeting key pressure points: mail voting, voter rolls and electronic machines, while pushing the stalled Save Act to require documents such as passports or birth certificates and expand federal leverage over elections.
Courts have already blocked one March executive order requiring states to share voter-roll data, and legal experts say Washington still lacks direct authority because elections are run by states and local jurisdictions.
Trump has nonetheless weakened federal safeguards by emptying the Election Assistance Commission and cutting more than a third of CISA staff, including the entire election-cybersecurity team.
State officials and advocacy groups say the broader risk is disruption rather than formal federal takeover, from gerrymandering and voter intimidation to delayed counting or certification fights that echo the run-up to January 6.
How much could redistricting changes and tougher registration rules alter representation and voter access before the 2026 midterms?
Trump’s Plummeting Approval (34%) and the 2026 Midterm Reckoning: Economic Crisis, Iran War, and the SAVE America Act
Overview
President Trump's decision to launch a war against Iran in early 2026 triggered Iranian retaliation, closing the Strait of Hormuz and causing global oil prices to spike. This led to a surge in U.S. gas prices and inflation, which outpaced wages and created a severe affordability crisis for many Americans. As a result, Trump’s approval ratings fell sharply, putting the Republican Party in a vulnerable position ahead of the midterms. Internal GOP tensions grew, with some lawmakers breaking ranks. Meanwhile, Republican enthusiasm dropped, and polls began to favor Democrats to retake the House, highlighting a dramatic shift in the political landscape.