Trump Fires the Referees Right Before the Midterms

President Donald Trump on Thursday, July 9, fired the two Democratic members of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, Thomas Hicks and Benjamin Hovland, notifying them by email; Hovland learned of his removal via a White House email while visiting a local election office in Missouri. Christy McCormick, the commission’s lone Republican, was permitted to resign rather than be terminated outright, leaving the bipartisan agency with zero sitting commissioners just months before the 2026 midterms [1, 2].

The White House said the move was legally grounded in the Supreme Court’s recent 6-3 ruling that upheld Trump’s authority to remove a Federal Trade Commission member, with an official stating the president “reserves the right to remove individuals that may not be totally aligned with the important task of securing America’s elections.” The EAC is the only federal agency devoted solely to election administration, providing certification for voting machines and distributing security funds to states, and with no commissioners it is now unable to take any official action [3, 1]. Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., broke with the White House on Friday, saying “I would not have done it at this moment, heading into the midterms” [4].

Why It Sucks:

Democrats

• The election referee just got benched. Democrats argue that gutting the only federal body dedicated to securing elections months before voters go to the polls is a naked attempt to weaken oversight when scrutiny should be increasing, not disappearing [1, 3].
• A pattern, not an isolated incident. Critics note this fits a broader pattern of the administration reshaping independent watchdog agencies after the Supreme Court expanded presidential removal power, calling it part of a sustained “war on voting” [3].
• States lose technical support with no warning. Local election officials who rely on EAC certification and guidance are left without a functioning federal partner heading into a high-turnout midterm cycle [1].

Republicans

• Even allies think the timing is reckless. Rep. Mike Lawler publicly broke from the White House, saying he “would not have done it at this moment, heading into the midterms,” showing the move isn’t universally popular even within the GOP [4].
• It undercuts the voter ID push it was tied to. Trump has linked his broader elections agenda to passing the SAVE America Act, and Republicans who want that bill to succeed worry this firing hands Democrats a distraction instead of momentum [4].
• An empty agency helps no one campaigning on election integrity. Republicans who’ve spent years arguing for stronger election administration now have to explain why the administration disabled the one agency built for that job [1].

Election Officials

• The agency literally cannot function now. With zero commissioners, the EAC cannot certify voting equipment, distribute security grants, or issue guidance, leaving state and local officials without federal backup right when midterm prep is underway [1, 3].
• Career staff are caught in the crossfire. Nonpartisan EAC employees who administer testing and certification programs now report to an agency with no leadership to authorize their work [2].
• McCormick’s quiet exit raises its own questions. The Republican commissioner’s choice to resign rather than fight the removal, and her refusal to comment, leaves election administrators guessing whether any commissioner felt safe pushing back [1].

Sources & Citations:

[1] Votebeat: Trump fires Election Assistance Commission members, leaving agency unable to act
[2] NBC News: Trump ousts remaining members of the Election Assistance Commission ahead of midterms
[3] ProPublica: Trump Pushes Out Last Federal Election Assistance Commission Members
[4] The Hill: Donald Trump fires Democratic members of Election Assistance Commission