Photo: Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images News / Getty Images
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is sounding the alarm over recent comments from President Donald Trump, accusing him of laying the groundwork to undermine the 2026 midterm elections.
Speaking Sunday (February 8) on State of the Union, Jeffries criticized Trump’s suggestion that the federal government should “nationalize” elections in certain jurisdictions, calling the idea both unconstitutional and dangerous.
“What Donald Trump wants to do is try to nationalize the election,” Jeffries said. “Translation: steal it. And we’re not going to let it happen.”
Trump has repeatedly claimed — without evidence — that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him, and he has continued to revive those claims since returning to office. More recently, he suggested Republicans should “take over” elections in select areas, citing baseless allegations of widespread voter fraud and noncitizen voting.
Those comments come as Republicans push the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which would require voters registering in federal elections to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship, such as a passport or birth certificate. The proposal would also require states to continually verify voters’ citizenship status.
Jeffries and other Democrats argue the legislation would amount to voter suppression, disproportionately affecting voters who may not have easy access to required documents. Critics have also pointed to efforts to redraw congressional maps in several states, saying the combination of restrictive voting laws and aggressive redistricting is aimed at influencing election outcomes.
“What Republicans are trying to do is engage in blatant voter suppression,” Jeffries said, arguing that free and fair elections would likely result in GOP losses.
Legal experts have also weighed in, noting that the U.S. Constitution grants states — not the president — the authority to administer elections. While Congress can pass laws affecting election administration, the federal government does not have the power to take over state-run elections.
Despite those legal constraints, Trump has continued to claim that elections are “rigged” and has warned that if Republicans lose the midterms, Democrats would seek to impeach him. Historically, the president’s party often loses seats in midterm elections, and recent polling has suggested Democrats could be competitive in 2026.
Jeffries pushed back on the rhetoric, emphasizing that states must retain control over their elections to ensure fairness and public trust.
“This is going to be a free and fair election,” he said. “And we’re going to stop him from nationalizing it.”
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