Full Breakdown
Trump Dismisses Remaining Election Assistance Commission Commissioners Ahead of Midterms
7/10/2026, 9:24:56 PM
Core Event
On July 10, 2026 President Donald J. Trump removed the two Democratic members of the Election Assistance Commission (EAC)—Chair Thomas Hicks and commissioner Benjamin Hovland—and allowed Republican commissioner Christy McCormick to resign. The action leaves the four-member, bipartisan commission without any confirmed officials as the 2026 midterm elections approach. The White House confirmed the firings, citing a recent Supreme Court ruling that expands presidential authority to dismiss members of independent agencies.
Background & Context
The EAC was created by the 2002 Help America Vote Act, a bipartisan law signed by President George W. Bush, to serve as a national clearinghouse for election administration, certify voting systems, and manage the federal voter-registration form. By law the commission must consist of two Democrats and two Republicans, all presidentially appointed and Senate-confirmed.
In March 2025 Trump issued an executive order directing the EAC to require proof of U.S. citizenship on the voter-registration form. A federal judge blocked the order, ruling it exceeded presidential authority because election administration is constitutionally reserved for states and Congress.
The firings follow the Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision in *Rebecca Slaughter v. Federal Trade Commission* (June 2026), which held that longstanding restrictions on a president’s power to remove political appointees of independent agencies are unconstitutional. The Court’s reasoning was also applied to other boards, such as the National Labor Relations Board, but not to the Federal Reserve.
Key Figures & Groups
- Donald J. Trump – President, author of the 2025 executive order and proponent of the SAVE America Act, which would impose voter-ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements.
- Thomas Hicks – Democratic chair of the EAC, appointed by President Barack Obama.
- Benjamin Hovland – Democratic commissioner, appointed by Trump during his first term.
- Christy McCormick – Republican commissioner who resigned; former Republican appointee Donald Palmer left in April 2026.
- Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) – Ranking member, Senate Rules Committee; vocal critic of the dismissals.
- Rep. Joe Morelle (D-NY) – Ranking member, House Administration Committee; co-author of the congressional criticism.
- Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) – Senate Minority Leader, condemned the firings as a “brazen attempt.”
Official Statements & Responses
The White House asserted that the president “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,” invoking the Slaughter decision as precedent. The administration indicated it will appeal the earlier district-court injunction against the 2025 executive order. No immediate replacement nominations have been announced, and the EAC staff has not responded to inquiries about operational continuity.
Criticism & Opposition
Democratic leaders described the move as a politicized effort to “dismantle yet another independent guardrail of our democracy” and warned it could “enable more unlawful and dangerous election interference.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the action “a brazen attempt to seize control of our elections before a single vote is cast.” Michael Waldman, president of the Brennan Center for Justice, labeled the ouster “deeply concerning” given “Trump’s relentless efforts to interfere in elections.”
Data & Statistics
- EAC composition: 4 commissioners (2 Democrats, 2 Republicans).
- Prior to the firings: two Democrats (Hicks, Hovland) and one Republican (McCormick) remained; Republican Donald Palmer had resigned in April 2026.
- The commission distributes federal election-security grants, oversees voting-system testing, and maintains the national voter-registration form.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on whether the EAC can continue limited functions without a quorum; some note the agency has operated without full membership in the past, while others stress that it “cannot lawfully make any decisions that affect how Americans vote” until new commissioners are confirmed. The White House has not clarified the timeline for nominations, and the EAC has not issued an official statement on its operational status.
Verbatim Quotes
- “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 Slaughter decision gives the President precedence to do so,” — White House official
- “President Trump is trying to dismantle yet another independent guardrail of our democracy designed to keep elections fair and secure,” — Sen. Alex Padilla, D-CA
- “This doesn't really change anything about how our elections will be run, and how states are successfully ensuring secure, convenient, safe elections,” — David Becker, former DOJ attorney
- “Firing every remaining member of the bipartisan Election Assistance Commission months before the midterms is a brazen attempt to seize control of our elections before a single vote is cast,” — Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-NY
- “THE SAVE AMERICA ACT’S non-passage is CRAZY, and a serious threat to any politician who votes against it!” — Donald J. Trump (Truth Social)
What’s Next
The Senate must confirm new presidential nominees to restore a quorum on the EAC, a process that could be delayed by partisan disputes. The administration plans to appeal the district-court block on the 2025 citizenship-proof order, and Congress is debating the SAVE America Act, which would codify the president’s preferred voting-ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements ahead of the November 2026 midterms.
