“This is Madness! A Disaster for the Party and the Nation”: How Trump Attempts to “Seize” US Elections
US President Donald Trump has turned to the Supreme Court to demand restrictions on mail-in voting. This move is part of his broader efforts to reshape election rules ahead of the midterm elections.
Last Monday, US President Donald Trump turned to the Supreme Court, asking it to approve the executive order he signed, which imposes dramatic restrictions on the ability of Americans to vote by mail. The appeal came after a federal court blocked key parts of the order and a judge in Massachusetts ruled that “the Constitution does not grant the president specific powers regarding elections.”
The order, signed by Trump at the end of March, imposes severe restrictions on mail-in voting—a method that has become popular in the US and is at the center of the president’s unproven claims of widespread fraud. The order instructed the Department of Homeland Security to create lists to assist in determining voter eligibility and demanded that the Postal Service deliver ballots exclusively to those included in these lists. More than 20 attorneys general from Democratic-controlled states challenged the order, arguing it violates the Constitution and the principle of separation of powers.
Will soldiers seize voting machines? Trump’s “regret”
Trump’s ongoing struggle against mail-in voting—a practice existing in all US states since the 1980s—is a central part of the war the president continues to wage not only against the 2020 election results but also against the possibility of the Republican Party losing in upcoming midterm elections. From Trump’s perspective, he can never lose unless there is a conspiracy against him.
Despite returning to the White House, he continues to push the lie that the 2020 elections were stolen. This obsession leads him to unprecedented interference in election processes. Trump told The New York Times he regrets not sending National Guard soldiers to seize voting machines after the 2020 elections. This is clear evidence of his willingness to take even more dramatic steps during his second term.
Battle for the ID: “Millions will be hurt”
The US Constitution gives states the responsibility for managing elections. Yet, in February, Trump stated he wanted the federal government to “take over” election management. In March 2025, he signed an executive order requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration. Democrats and civil rights groups warn that this will harm millions of legal citizens who lack easy access to documents like passports or birth certificates.
Since only Congress can determine election laws, both of Trump’s orders were blocked by courts for violating the separation of powers. In response, the Department of Justice began demanding full voter databases from states, leading to numerous lawsuits. Trump continues to use social media to spread unverified claims about “non-citizens” in voter rolls, urging Republicans to “clean up” the elections.
The law that will “save America”
After a series of court losses, Trump is pressuring Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, which would codify his executive orders into federal law. The act requires documentary proof of citizenship and submission of voter lists to the Department of Homeland Security. Currently, the law cannot pass the Senate due to the 60-vote threshold. Trump is so focused on this agenda that he refused to sign a bipartisan housing reform bill as a protest.
Additionally, Trump is damaging election security infrastructure: he has reduced the Department of Justice’s “voting rights” division, weakened the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and dissolved an FBI task force aimed at fighting foreign interference.
“The Map War” and Democratic preparations
One of Trump’s most effective strategies is the “redistricting war.” Under pressure from the president, states like Texas, North Carolina, Missouri, and Ohio redrew their congressional maps, adding nine districts with a Republican tendency. The Supreme Court also weakened a key component of the Voting Rights Act, allowing for maps that critics argue discriminate against voters on a racial basis, further strengthening Republican positions.
Democrats are now holding “war games” to prepare for scenarios where federal agents might attempt to intervene in the voting process or intimidate voters. The fragile American experiment, which relies on adherence to rules and norms, is under threat as Trump becomes the only president in US history to reject a clear election loss and use the power of the White House to tilt future elections in his favor.
