Trump says Republicans 'should take over the voting' and 'nationalise' US elections

February 3, 2026

President Donald Trump called for Republicans to "nationalise" voting in approximately 15 unspecified locations during a podcast interview, despite elections traditionally being administered by state and local officials under state law. Trump continued making unproven claims that he won the 2020 election and linked his voting centralization proposal to his immigration enforcement agenda, suggesting Republicans cannot win future elections without removing undocumented immigrants. His comments followed an FBI raid on Georgia's Fulton County elections office investigating 2020 voting records, with Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard confirming Trump personally requested her presence at the scene.

Who is affected

State and local election officials who currently administer voting
Republican Party members and officials
Voters in Fulton County, Georgia, and potentially 15 other unspecified locations
Undocumented immigrants facing deportation
US citizens who may face additional registration requirements under the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act
FBI agents conducting the Georgia raid
Fulton County Commissioner Mo Ivory and other local officials expressing opposition
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard
Senators who received Gabbard's letter

What action is being taken

The FBI is conducting a court-authorized investigation at the Fulton County Election Hub, examining voting records from the 2020 election
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is exercising statutory authority to coordinate intelligence related to election security
The White House is promoting the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act

Why it matters

This represents a significant challenge to America's traditional federalist election system, where states and localities have historically controlled voting administration. Trump's push to centralize election control in Republican hands, combined with unsubstantiated fraud claims, raises concerns about potential partisan manipulation of democratic processes. The FBI raid on Georgia's election office and direct presidential involvement through phone calls to agents on the ground breaks conventional protocols separating executive leadership from active law enforcement operations. The proposed citizenship documentation requirements could create barriers to voting for legitimate citizens while addressing a problem experts consider rare, potentially affecting voter access and participation in future elections.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC