Trump doubles down on federal election intervention
By: Zac Anderson
and Aysha Bagchi
USA Today
..... Fulton County, Georgia, challenged the Trump administration in court February 4 [2026] over its seizure of ballots in an investigation tied to the 2020 election, a county spokesperson said.
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The county asked a federal court to limit the warrant to provide an opportunity for a forensic accounting of all the documents and to request they stay in Georgia, Fulton County Commissioner Marvin Arrigton Jr. said.
..... Mo Ivory, another county commissioner, said federal officials collected 700 boxes of ballots.
..... The FBI's January 28 [2026] search at the Fulton County elections Hub & Operations Center marked a major escalation in the administration;s effects to pursue President Donald Trump's unfounded claims that his 2020 defeat was the result of widespread voting fraud. Trump lost Georgia in that election. it also was the latest in a string of administration actions to sue the Justice Department against the president's perceived enemies or to intervene in cases where he believes he was treated unfairly.
..... Speaking on "The Dan Bongino show" on February 2, [2026] Trump again falsely claimed to have won the 2020 election and referenced the seizure of ballots.
..... "Now you're going to see something in Georges where they were able to get, with a court order, the ballots," Trump said. "You're going to see some interesting things come out."
..... Arrington said that while he hoped to get all the records back, the horse had left the barn
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On his former FBI deputy director's podcast, Trump also floated the possibility of nationalizing elections.
..... He comment generated bipartisan push-back and alarmed critics worried about the fairness of future contests, States have Constitutional authority over "the times, places and manner" of federal elections. State and local authorities administer voting, thought the Constitution gives Congress the power to "make or alter" election rules.
..... Trump doubled down on those remarks February 3. [2026] Asked at a White House event attended by GOP lawmakers what he had meant, Trump said: "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."
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White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt had said that Trump was referring to passing the SAVE Act, a voter ID bill, in his conversation with Bongino. But Trump didn't mention the SAVE Act when asked about his podcast remarks.
..... Senate Majority Leader John Trune, R-South Dakota, quickly rejected Trump's suggestion. he told reporters that he's "not in favor of federalizing elections" and thinks "that's a constitutional issue," The Hill reported.
..... Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, blasted Trump's podcast comments in a speech on the Senate floor, calling them "outlandishly illegal."
..... "Once again, the president's talking no different than a dictator who wants elections in America to be as legitimate as electronics in courtiers like Venezuela," Schumer said.
..... Contributing: Josey Garrison, USA Today;Reuters