Trump threatens to cut DHS disaster grants unless states adopt election reforms

President Donald Trump is considering withholding up to 20% of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grant funding—money normally used for terrorism prevention, infrastructure and disaster preparedness—from states that do not adopt his proposed election changes. The conditions would require states to replace electronic voting machines with hand‑marked paper ballots and to run voter rolls through a federal citizenship‑verification database. The DHS spokesperson said no final decision has been made, but added that “any recipient of federal funding should expect accountability for how taxpayer dollars are spent.”

The move follows a series of failed Republican efforts in Congress to pass election‑related legislation, including the stalled SAVE America Act, and comes after courts blocked previous attempts to mandate voter‑ID and database use. Critics warn the tactic could jeopardize disaster relief and homeland‑security programs ahead of the 2025 midterm elections, while legal challenges are expected.