Nov 1, 2026 · 18 min
Trump allies test the limits of election control
Defending the Midterms from Donald Trump
The episode examines whether federal pressure on states could disrupt election administration, intimidate voters, or provoke a political backlash.
- 1The Justice Department’s demand for nationwide voter data faces resistance from states and accusations of unlawful overreach.
- 2Lawsuits targeting California and Alaska reveal different strategies for challenging election rules and certification.
- 3Threats against Utah officials and possible polling-place intimidation test how far election interference can proceed.
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Gellman describes the Alaska lawsuit as especially alarming because it would block certification only if a Republican candidate loses.
The brief
David Remnick and Barton Gellman examine how the Trump administration is pressing states ahead of the 2026 midterms, and where federal power meets state control of elections.
The Justice Department demanded voter data from all 50 states while claiming widespread ineligible voting; states challenged the request as incompetent and unlawful overreach.
Utah became a test case after Lieutenant Governor Deidre Henderson resisted federal demands and faced threats, political pressure, and a fight over state election authority.
Gellman contrasts a weak California lawsuit with an Alaska case seeking to block certification only if a Republican candidate loses, calling the latter especially alarming.
The discussion ends with possible polling-place intimidation involving immigration agents or law-enforcement-looking personnel—and the prospect that suppression efforts could instead mobilize voters.
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