Donald Trump’s efforts to sway US midterm elections raise Democratic alarm

Democratic strategists warn that President Donald Trump is mobilising multiple tactics to influence the November midterm elections. CNN political analyst David Axelrod said “all the signals are red,” noting that under normal conditions Republicans would likely lose because of Trump’s unpopularity, but the president is preparing a “plan B” that could include extraordinary measures.

Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D‑FL) reported that some of her constituents fear Trump might try to cancel the election or declare martial law. Recent actions include the dismissal of three of the four commissioners of the Election Assistance Commission, leaving the agency without a quorum, and a similar deadlock at the Federal Election Commission. Trump also appointed Bill Pulte, a billionaire with no intelligence background, as acting director of national intelligence, and has pushed for a national voter‑registration database and tighter control of mail‑in voting – proposals that have faced legal challenges and opposition from both Democratic and Republican‑led states. Meanwhile, Republicans have secured favorable rulings on redistricting that could give them up to ten additional House seats, prompting Democrats to redraw maps in states like California.