Trump pushes out EAC members ahead of 2025 midterms

In the United States, elections are fundamentally a matter for the individual states, not the central government. The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) plays a coordinating role in this: it provides guidelines, distributes grant funds, and supports the states with the technical preparation of votes.

At the time of reporting, however, only three members still sat on the body; one seat was vacant. As the news agency APA reported on Thursday, July 9, citing U.S. media, Trump pushed out these three remaining commissioners.

Reactions from the states

Reactions from the Democratic Party and election observers were sharp. Adrian Fontes, Arizona's Democratic Secretary of State and responsible in this capacity for elections in the state, said Trump appeared determined to cause chaos in the elections. He also declared: "Dieser Schritt untergräbt die Integrität der überparteilichen Wahlverwaltung."

Other critics also reacted with dismay to the decision and spoke of a concerning attempt at election interference. The move is part of a series of contested interventions by the Trump administration into institutions and processes previously regarded as independent.

The political backdrop is a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court at the end of June 2025 that significantly expanded Trump's powers over previously independent federal agencies. The ruling specifically concerned members of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), but it had already been suspected that the decision would radiate to other agencies and be used by Trump as a precedent.

The Supreme Court ruling

The APA, which picked up the matter in an editorial assessment, evaluated the ruling as a "ruling of the century." According to this, the president may in future dismiss personnel in agencies previously created by Congress and independent at his own discretion.

For the upcoming midterm elections in November 2025, the move means considerable uncertainty. Although the states' operational authority formally remains, the nationwide coordination through the EAC loses its previous partisan balance.

The departing commission members had, as usual, been nominated equally by Republicans and Democrats. With the elimination of the body, an instance in which both major parties jointly developed standards for electoral procedures and voting is also eliminated for now.

Impact on the midterm elections

Observers point out that the impact extends beyond the immediate organization of elections. A commission that was once created as a compromise between the parties is being reshaped into a purely executive instrument.

The move is also attracting international attention, as the EAC is considered one of the most important interfaces between the federal government and the states in organizing federal elections. Diplomats and election observers in Europe see it as a test case for the resilience of democratic institutions in the United States.

In Arizona, a traditionally contested swing state, Secretary Fontes expressed particular concern. He pointed to the state's particular vulnerability to disinformation campaigns and manipulation, which is why bipartisan administration is urgently needed.

Trump himself has so far not publicly commented on the personnel decisions at the EAC. His campaign team merely referred to Trump's right to independently fill positions in agencies assigned to the White House.

The coming weeks until the midterms are likely to show how the states compensate for the loss of EAC support. Individual states such as California and New York have already announced that they will launch their own initiatives for election coordination.

Political context and consequences

On June 29, 2025, the Supreme Court also rejected an appeal by Trump in another proceeding, without any of the nine justices — including three appointed by Trump — registering a dissenting opinion. This vote also strengthens Trump's position vis-à-vis independent institutions.

Overall, political commentators assess the move as the most far-reaching attempt by the Trump administration to politically capture a central election agency to date. The opposition in Washington announced congressional inquiries into the exact circumstances of the personnel decisions.

A direct reaction from the House of Representatives or the Senate to the EAC dismissals was not yet available at editorial deadline. Both chambers will not meet in full strength until after the midterms in November, unless there are special sessions.

The midterms are considered an important barometer of public sentiment for Trump's second term. Should the Democrats win either chamber, they could in future launch their own investigations against the executive and attempt to reinstall the dismissed EAC members.

Regardless of the election outcome, the move is likely to have a lasting impact on the debate about the independence of U.S. federal agencies. In his first week in office, Trump had already, among other things, withdrawn from the Paris Climate Agreement and pardoned numerous individuals convicted in connection with the storming of the Capitol on January 6, 2021.

The EAC itself had been conceived under the 2002 law as a bipartisan oversight body to strengthen confidence in the technical integrity of American elections. With the dismissal of its members, it now effectively loses its unanimously adopted mandate.

For the upcoming elections, this means: The states must coordinate more independently, and civil society organizations such as NGOs and election observers will play a more important role in monitoring the procedures than before.

On July 9, a grand jury in Columbus also indicted eight men who allegedly planned an attack on a martial arts event on Trump's birthday. This news partly overshadowed the reporting on the EAC dismissals in the media.

Regardless, election law experts consider July 9 a turning point. Never in the history of the EAC since 2002 has the entire commission been removed from office through direct action by Trump, a spokesperson for the Brennan Commission told APA.

For background: On February 28, 2026, the United States, together with Israel, began attacks on targets in Iran. The foreign policy situation and the domestic political handling of institutions are perceived by the public as being in direct connection.

In political analyses, the move is therefore also interpreted as an attempt to consolidate control over central domestic political institutions during a phase of foreign policy tensions. The Democrats see this as a confirmation of their fears.

In the end, it remains to be seen how the courts and the electorate will react to the move. Until the midterms in November, intense weeks lie ahead — also with regard to the question of what role the EAC will play in the future.

One thing is certain: With the dismissal of the three commissioners, the partisan balance that had defined the body for a quarter of a century has been suspended for now. The coming elections will show what practical consequences this has for voting.