‘I Don’t Trust You’: Trump Administration Election Security Call Gets Testy as Democratic State Officials Push Back on Federal Pressure.
Participants said CISA offered no concrete help for the 2026 election as state officials criticized the Trump administration’s reduced support and threats against election administrators.
- On Monday, state election officials clashed with CISA leaders during a rare security call, expressing frustration over the lack of concrete support for the 2026 election, which is less than 90 days away.
- Threatening to withhold $1 billion in anti-terrorism funding, Trump and The Department of Homeland Security face a Brennan Center lawsuit for demanding states adopt burdensome election changes, including ditching modern voting systems for paper ballots.
- Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes told CISA officials, "I don't trust you," while Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon criticized political leaders for "hinting at imprisoning election administrators who don't do what they want."
- Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs described the call as a "positive step" in rebuilding relations between CISA and state election officials, though most participants remain skeptical of federal support.
- With the 2026 election less than 90 days away, election officials worry they remain entirely on their own, as participants noted CISA leadership appeared more focused on the 2028 presidential election.
12 Articles
12 Articles
‘I don’t trust you’: Tensions reach boiling point on election security call for state leaders • Maine Morning Star
A voter deposits a ballot in a drop box at Portland's City Hall. (Photo by Jim Neuger/Maine Morning Star) This article was originally published by Votebeat, a nonprofit news organization covering local election administration and voting access. Tensions between state election officials and the Trump administration are rising as we head into the heart of the midterm election season. Frustrations boiled over on Monday during a rare election se…
Tensions boil over on Trump administration’s election security call
Democratic election officials criticized Homeland Security leaders on a call Monday for lackluster support as the midterm election looms. (Photo by Anne-Marie Caruso/New Jersey Monitor)Tensions between state election officials and the Trump administration are rising as we head into the heart of the midterm election season. Frustrations boiled over on Monday during a rare election security call hosted by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Secur…
Tensions reach boiling point on election security call for state leaders
Adrian Fontes in January 2026. (Photo by Gage Skidmore/Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0)This article was originally published by Votebeat, a nonprofit news organization covering local election administration and voting access. Tensions between state election officials and the Trump administration are rising as we head into the heart of the midterm election season. Frustrations boiled over on Monday during a rare election security call hosted by the Cybersecu…
Tensions reach boiling point on Trump administration's election security call for state leaders
There were 321 ballot drop boxes across Oregon ahead of the 2026 primary election, including this one at the Albany Public Library. (Photo by Mia Maldonado/Oregon Capital Chronicle)This article was originally published by Votebeat, a nonprofit news organization covering local election administration and voting access. Tensions between state election officials and the Trump administration are rising as we head into the heart of the midterm electi…
Trump admin's $1 billion election ultimatum immediately sparks new legal war
The Department of Homeland Security was dragged into federal court this week after threatening to withhold $1 billion in anti-terrorism funding for several states if they don't change election rules.In Nashville vs. DHS, a bombshell federal lawsuit filed Monday by the Brennan Center and co-counsel on behalf of cities and counties challenging DHS's demand warned that the Trump administration's coercive move would not go down without a fight. The …
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