President Donald Trump’s election legislation is currently at a standstill in Congress. However, his primetime speech on Thursday night suggested potential directions for his comprehensive strategy to take control of American elections.
The president referenced newly declassified documents to support his claim that U.S. elections are susceptible to foreign influence and that the infrastructure supporting them is prone to hacking. He also accused his own intelligence community of intentionally withholding information about China’s attempts to influence elections.
These documents, although heavily redacted, revisit familiar topics while contributing new insights to public discussions. They do not, however, provide evidence of election rigging or vote tampering.
Trump’s address hinted at how he might advance an election-reform agenda even if the SAVE America Act does not pass. Throughout his speech, he issued directives to various law enforcement and government agencies, many staffed by controversial loyalists.
Investigating Alleged Intelligence Community Cover-Up
The president announced that he had asked the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Department of Justice, FBI, and CIA to investigate claims he presented, alleging “rogue bureaucrats” withheld intelligence about China’s election interference from his briefings.
Trump highlighted, for instance, that voter data from 18 states had reportedly been “bought, stolen or hacked by China.”
“Yet those responsible for sounding the alarm instead kept the information secret and hidden,” he remarked.
He called for the dismissal of anyone involved in this “cover-up” and suggested criminal charges be filed, seemingly related to “significant numbers of burn bags information” his administration reportedly discovered.
A document released Thursday showed intelligence officials debating how to discuss Chinese election influence records. A previously released 2020 election review completed at the end of Trump’s first term concluded that China opted not to influence the election, although a minority opinion suggested China took some steps to undermine Trump.
Reviving Michigan GOTV Nonprofit Probe
Trump stated that an FBI investigation into an alleged scheme to deliver voter registration forms in Michigan before the 2020 election was “slow-walked and killed” by the Biden administration. He indicated plans to ask the FBI to “ensure the matter is fully investigated.”
State police raided the offices of the Democratic-aligned firm GBI Strategies in October 2020 after a Muskegon, Michigan, city clerk noticed irregularities in voter registration applications including incorrect birth dates. Although state election officials later confirmed no votes were cast using these forms, and no charges were filed, Trump urged FBI Director Kash Patel to work with the DOJ to “prosecute those responsible for any crimes.”
Reviewing Noncitizens on Voter Rolls
Trump directed the Department of Homeland Security to notify states about any noncitizens on their registered voter lists and to ensure the removal of ineligible voters.
In his speech, he mentioned a department review, along with state and public records, identified approximately 278,000 noncitizens registered to vote in federal elections across four states.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin threatened state election officials with prosecution if they did not act. However, election officials questioned the DHS’s methods, suggesting it likely overcounted noncitizen registered voters.
Addressing Technical Vulnerabilities
Trump also announced that the DHS would collaborate with states and local governments to identify and address cybersecurity vulnerabilities in voting infrastructure. The administration is currently informing governors and Congress members about potential issues.
“If you look at voting today, it’s in such bad shape in so many states, and we are committing to fix it and we’re also committing to be working with those states and local jurisdictions to help them fix and patch known technical vulnerabilities before the midterm elections,” Trump stated.
Despite these executive measures, Trump emphasized that they are intended to complement the broader goal of passing the SAVE America Act in Congress. The bill, however, remains stuck on Capitol Hill despite mounting pressure from the president.
“The only reason you wouldn’t do it is you want to cheat,” Trump concluded.
