July 10, 2026, 8:01 a.mJuly 10, 2026, 8:01 a.m
Four months before the midterm elections in the USA, President Donald Trump dismantled an independent electoral commission. The remaining three members of the Commission for Election Support were forced out of office by Trump, US media reported unanimously.
US President Donald Trump has dismantled an independent electoral commission.Image: keystone
The authority was created by Congress in 2002 and is intended, among other things, to support the states in organizing elections with federal funds. In the United States, elections are essentially a matter for the states, not the central government.
The four commissioners should normally be made up of an equal number of Republicans and Democrats. Ultimately, however, there were only three members left on the committee and one position was vacant.
Supreme Court expanded Trump’s powers
Trump is apparently determined to cause chaos in the elections, criticized Adrian Fontes, a Democrat who, as Secretary of State, is also the first deputy to the governor of Arizona. “This step undermines the integrity of non-partisan election administration,” said Fontes, who is responsible for elections in the state. Other critics also reacted with dismay to the decision and spoke of a worrying attempt to influence the election.
The US Supreme Court significantly expanded the president’s power over independent federal authorities at the end of June. Specifically, it was about members of the antitrust authority Federal Trade Commission (FTC). However, it had already been suspected that the decision would spread to other authorities and be used by Trump as a precedent. (dab/sda/dpa)