President Trump’s push to “nationalize” elections | Studio 2 from WHYY | 2/4/26

Описание: Should we be worried about election integrity?

After reviving his false claim that the 2020 election was stolen, President Trump is now urging Republicans to, in his words, “take over voting” and "nationalize elections.” His comments came Monday on the Dan Bongino podcast, days after an FBI raid in Georgia to seize voting records related to the 2020 presidential election.

Other moves by the administration are also drawing scrutiny. The Justice Department has demanded state voter registration rolls, ostensibly to ensure they are up to date and that only eligible Americans are voting. Attorney General Pam Bondi sent a letter to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz last month, pressuring him to share voter data amid the immigration enforcement crackdown in his state.

President Trump has also signaled his frustration with the elections in other ways, threatening to end mail-in voting and recently expressing regret that he did not send in the National Guard to take voting machines in the 2020 election.

Under the Constitution, control of elections is largely left to states with Congress able to “make or alter” election rules, and the president given no direct authority over how elections work.

So are concerns about free and fair elections warranted? Ahead of the 2026 midterms and 2028 presidential race, what guardrails are in place to protect our vote?

Guests:
Adam Bonin - Philadelphia-based lawyer specializing in election law
Michael Morley - law professor and director of the Election Law Center at Florida State University
Seth Bluestein, Republican city commissioner for Philadelphia