President Donald Trump executed a sweeping purge of the US Election Assistance Commission (EAC) on Thursday, dismissing its three remaining commissioners in an unprecedented shake-up that places the independent agency in administrative limbo just months before the 2026 midterm elections.
The White House confirmed the removals, which leave the EAC a federal body tasked with supporting state and local election officials without a single sitting commissioner. According to sources familiar with the matter, Republican Commissioner Christy McCormick resigned, while Democratic Commissioners Thomas Hicks and Benjamin Hovland were terminated via a terse email from the White House Presidential Personnel Office. The commission’s fourth seat had been vacant since April.
A copy of the termination notice, reviewed by Reuters, delivered the blunt directive: “On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position as Commissioner of the Election Assistance Commission is terminated, effective immediately. Thank you for your service.”
White House Cites Expanded Authority and Election Security Push
The dismissals come hot on the heels of a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that significantly expanded presidential authority to remove officials serving on independent federal agencies. The administration is leveraging that ruling to advance its broader push for greater federal involvement in election administration an arena traditionally governed by state and local jurisdictions.
Citing the court’s decision, a White House official defended the ousters, asserting that the president retains the prerogative to ensure alignment with his administration’s electoral priorities.
“The President, and head of the Executive Branch, reserves the right to remove individuals that may not be totally aligned with the important task of securing America’s elections and ensuring every legal vote is counted,” the official stated.
The official added that the administration has been “working across all agencies and local partners to safeguard elections from fraud and abuse,” vowing continued investment in robust election infrastructure, “especially in the midterm elections.”
Agency’s Future in Limbo Amid Bipartisan Vacuum
Established by Congress under the Help America Vote Act of 2002, the EAC serves as a national clearinghouse for election administration. Its statutory duties include accrediting voting system testing laboratories, certifying voting equipment, and maintaining the national mail voter registration form mandated by the National Voter Registration Act of 1993.
Under federal law, the commission is structured to operate with four members—split evenly between Republicans and Democrats—who are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Notably, Hicks, Hovland, and McCormick each previously received unanimous Senate confirmation, underscoring the traditionally bipartisan nature of the agency’s leadership.
“Removing every remaining commissioner just months before the 2026 midterm elections is an extraordinary step that demands an immediate explanation from the administration and raises profound concerns about political interference in the institutions that support our elections,” Warner wrote. He added that the decision should “concern every American, regardless of party,” warning that the integrity of the nation’s electoral support infrastructure is now under intense scrutiny as the campaign season accelerates.
While the law permits the president to appoint replacement commissioners, the administration has not yet signaled any timeline or intention to reconstitute the board, leaving the EAC’s operational future shrouded in uncertainty.
Alarm Bells Ring as Midterms Approach
The sudden institutional vacuum arrives as Trump and senior administration officials intensify efforts to revise vote-by-mail requirements ahead of the November 2026 midterms, while continuing to mount investigations into the 2020 presidential election—which Trump lost to former President Joe Biden. The president has repeatedly and without evidence characterized that contest as rigged.
The dismissals have drawn sharp rebuke from Capitol Hill. Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.), responding on social media, described the move as deeply alarming and demanded immediate accountability.
Source: Agencies (edited by Al-Manar)