Trump’s Calls to “Nationalise” Voting Prompt Nationwide Election-Security Preparations

Former President Donald Trump told conservative commentator Dan Bongino that Republicans should “nationalise the voting” and later said his regret in 2020 was not sending the National Guard to seize voting machines. The remarks have spurred contingency planning among election-protection groups, legal teams and protest organizers as the November 3 midterms approach.

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Trump’s 2020 post-election claims of “voter fraud” led to an unprecedented attempt to block the transfer of power. Since then he has repeatedly suggested federal intervention in state-run elections. In August 2018 the White House convened an inter-agency meeting on foreign election interference; Trump reacted angrily and later accused China of meddling while omitting Russia. This pattern reappears in his current rhetoric.

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• August 2018 – White House inter-agency meeting on foreign election interference; Trump reacts angrily.

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• 2020 – Trump promotes unfounded “voter fraud” claims and attempts to block certification.

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• Early 2024 – Trump declares Republicans should “nationalise the voting” and regrets not deploying the National Guard in 2020.

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• November 3 – Midterm elections; organisations intensify coordination.

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• January 6 – Former judge J. Michael Luttig warns of a possible “another Jan 6.”

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• Non-citizen voter claims – DHS announced nearly 16,000 alleged non-citizen voters in Nevada, later confirming only 185 names; a state audit found none were non-citizens.

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• Legal actions – Experts anticipate roughly 60 lawsuits in 2024 could swell to about 600, with hotlines securing rapid judicial orders to keep federal agents away from polling places.

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• Grassroots mobilization – More than 3,000 “No Kings” events were organized nationwide, and a recent Saturday protest in Washington, DC drew thousands, many current or former federal employees.

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A White House spokesperson defended Trump’s handling of election security in a statement to *ProPublica*, rejecting allegations that the administration sought to hack voting machines. The spokesperson emphasized that DOJ requests for voter-roll data are intended to verify citizenship status, not suppress votes.

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• J. Michael Luttig, former judge, warned that legal challenges and potential ballot seizures could create conditions for “another Jan 6.”

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• Ezra Levin, co-founder of the No Kings coalition, called attempts to manipulate outcomes “anti-election sabotage.”

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• Jennifer Roberts, former Charlotte mayor, warned that the surge in lawsuits could overwhelm courts and that rapid judicial interventions are essential to protect polling places.

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Protesters gathered across the country in “No Kings” rallies, urging early voting and preparing to counter legal or administrative moves that might delay results. In Washington, DC, participants carried signs criticizing Trump’s push to “nationalise” voting while noting his historically low approval ratings. Organizers said many attendees are former federal employees who previously feared retaliation.

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• Non-citizen voter numbers: DHS initially reported nearly 16,000 alleged non-citizen voters, later reduced to 185 verified names, while Nevada’s audit found zero non-citizens.

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• Legal standing of DOJ demands: Federal courts have twice upheld states’ refusals to hand over full voter rolls, yet the DOJ continues to press for the data, creating an unresolved legal tension.

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Election-protection groups plan to file pre-emptive lawsuits in all 50 states and maintain hotlines for rapid judicial relief. The No Kings movement will continue early-voting drives and coordinate peaceful street actions if disputes arise after the November 3 polls. The White House has not announced concrete policy changes regarding election administration, leaving the situation fluid as the midterms approach.

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