Trump allies plan to manipulate elections using executive power

In recent months, the Trump administration has actively sought ways to influence the upcoming 2026 midterm elections, aiming to leverage its executive authority for partisan gains. One approach involved Donald Trump endorsing gerrymandering efforts in Texas to secure more Republican-friendly districts. Furthermore, officials associated with Trump have launched a comprehensive effort to gather data on voters while also inspecting voting equipment, an action that has raised concerns about potential federal interference in state elections. This situation has sparked outrage among local election officials, particularly in states like Colorado, where efforts to challenge the 2020 election results were most pronounced. As part of the efforts, a pro-Trump consultant has been reported seeking permissions from county election officials to inspect their election equipment, further intensifying fears of federal overreach into local electoral processes. Multiple clerks have expressed their disapproval, calling the requests improper and indicative of potential confrontations between local and federal authorities. In parallel, the Justice Department has requested copies of voter rolls from at least nine states, igniting debates over the legality and ethics of such a move, given the department's limited authority to review private voter information. On the financial front, recent federal spending decisions by Senate and House Republicans demonstrate a substantial shift in how legislative authority is exercised. Senate Republicans led by Trump approved significant cuts to funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the U.S. Agency for International Development. This decision appears to signal a willingness of GOP lawmakers to cede power to the White House under Trump's guidance. Critics worry that such maneuvers could make bipartisan negotiations increasingly untenable, thus hindering Congress’s ability to govern effectively and threatening the framework of cooperative governance that has existed for decades. Statements from key figures within the Trump administration indicate a growing disinterest in bipartisan agreements, with the Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought explicitly mentioning a desire for reducing bipartisan cooperation. This departure from tradition raises alarms about future governance and the potential for government shutdowns as parties may no longer trust each other to maintain fiscal agreements. The combination of these developments suggests a troubling trajectory for American democracy, as public funding cuts, attempts at election manipulation, and a decline in bipartisan negotiations could significantly undermine the systems meant to uphold democratic integrity in future elections.