Trump calls states ‘agents’ of the federal govt in elections as he pushes GOP to ‘take over’

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump stirred fresh debate over who should run America’s elections, arguing that states effectively act as extensions of the federal government while doubling down on his push for Republicans to play a larger role in voting oversight.

Speaking during an Oval Office signing ceremony alongside Republican lawmakers, Trump said it was a matter of election integrity, suggesting the federal government could step in if states fall short of administering elections properly.

"I want to see elections be honest, and if a state can’t run an election, I think the people behind me should do something about it,” Trump told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins.

He questioned why elections are not already run by Washington. “If you think about it, a state is an agent for the federal government in elections. I don’t know why the federal government doesn’t do them anyway. But when you see some of these states, how horribly they run their elections, what a disgrace it is,” Trump said.

Trump calls for federal role in elections, cites voter fraud concerns

Under the current system, elections are primarily handled by state and local officials, with the federal government playing only a limited supervisory role. Still, Trump has made reshaping election procedures a recurring focus, as his administration seeks to revise voting rules ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.

The president pointed to Atlanta, where less than a week ago the FBI searched an elections office as part of a Justice Department probe into alleged voter fraud, along with other Democratic-leaning cities, as examples of what he described as systemic issues.

Trump claimed those areas were plagued by “horrible corruption on elections,” while revisiting his long-standing allegations about the 2020 presidential race, which he lost to former President Joe Biden. Trump once again labeled that election “rigged” and “crooked.”

“Take a look at Detroit,” Trump told Collins on February 3. “Take a look at Philadelphia. You go take a look at Atlanta.”

“Look at some of the places that, horrible corruption on elections, and the federal government should not allow that. The federal government should get involved,” he said.

“These are agents of the federal government to count the votes. If they can’t count the votes legally and honestly, then somebody else should take over.”

Trump floats ‘nationalize the voting’ idea in election control push

Trump’s remarks came a day after he raised eyebrows during a podcast interview with former deputy FBI director Dan Bongino, in which he urged Republicans to take stronger control over election administration in several key areas.

“The Republicans should say, ‘We want to take over.' We should take over the voting, the voting in at least many, 15 places, the Republicans ought to nationalize the voting,” Trump said in that interview. 

Collins pressed Trump about constitutional provisions that place election administration in the hands of local officials.

Trump acknowledged that states can still oversee elections but emphasized what he sees as a requirement for transparency and fairness. “They can administer the election, but they have to do it honestly,” he said.

Karoline Leavitt points to SAVE Act amid voter ID debate

Earlier in the day, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt sought to clarify Trump’s remarks, suggesting his comments were centered on voter ID requirements rather than a full federal takeover of elections.

“What the president was referring to is the SAVE Act,” Leavitt told reporters, referencing legislation that would mandate proof of citizenship for voter registration. “It provides very commonsense measures for voting in our country, such as voter ID.”

Trump has repeatedly vowed to reshape election practices nationwide, frequently targeting voting methods he argues leave room for fraud.

His administration has also initiated an uncommon mid-decade redistricting effort, a move widely seen as an attempt to help Republicans secure additional seats in the House of Representatives, per CNN.