Democrats will prevent Donald Trump from 'stealing' the upcoming US midterm elections, according to Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic leader in the House of Representatives. Speaking on CNN's State of the Union, Jeffries accused the former president of trying to nationalise the election process, a move he described as an effort to undermine democratic integrity.
Jeffries highlighted that the US Constitution grants states authority over election rules, with Congress able to set requirements for federal contests, but gives the president no direct role. He argued that Trump's suggestion that Republicans should 'take over the voting' effectively means 'steal it'. Jeffries noted that Democrats have already blocked attempts to federalise the National Guard and countered Republican efforts to redraw congressional districts to their advantage.
The Trump administration has repeatedly cast doubt on the 2020 election results, filing lawsuits alleging improper voter roll maintenance. An FBI raid on Fulton County, Georgia, last month seized ballots and voter information, despite repeated debunking of fraud claims there. Jeffries also condemned a racist post on Trump's Truth Social account depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes, calling for an apology.
Senator Adam Schiff echoed concerns, stating on ABC's This Week that Trump intends to subvert the election and suppress the vote. He warned that if Republicans expect a 'drubbing' in the midterms, Trump may try to overturn the result. Schiff also questioned the presence of Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard at the Fulton County raid, suggesting it was intended to send a message about not accepting defeat.
Senator Mark Warner, vice-chairman of the Senate intelligence committee, expressed similar fears on CBS's Face the Nation. He said Gabbard's involvement was concerning, as the intelligence chief's role is to focus on foreign threats, not domestic matters. Warner worried that Trump, facing political headwinds, might interfere in the 2026 election—something he thought impossible a year ago.
Jeffries concluded that this year's midterms will be free and fair, with states and localities administering the laws as usual. He insisted that Democratic efforts have so far succeeded in blocking Trump's attempts to nationalise the electoral process.
