Homeland Security Secretary Mullin reiterates Trump threats about elections

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has stated that the Trump administration will enforce Donald Trump's election security demands, making them "mandatory." Mullin pledged to implement a "maximum pressure" campaign against states that do not comply, threatening to withhold federal funds for election grants. He specifically targeted California, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Nevada, reiterating Trump's claims about non-citizens being registered to vote, though the article notes a lack of substantiation for these figures and expert warnings about their reliability. Mullin also indicated that individuals within the intelligence community and the Biden administration who "purposely misled the American people" will be held accountable.

In a White House address, former President Trump claimed his administration uncovered new findings about election vulnerabilities, alleging China illicitly acquired voter information on 220 million Americans and interfered in his 2020 campaign. Intelligence officials previously concluded China did not deploy interference efforts to change the 2020 election outcome, though a minority view noted some steps to undermine Trump's reelection chances. Trump also cited an FBI investigation into voter registration fraud in Michigan and claimed the Department of Homeland Security identified noncitizens on voter rolls. He stated his administration would take further action to influence elections, including ordering states to remove noncitizens from voter rolls.

In a primetime speech on July 16, 2026, former President Donald Trump alleged that China and "deep state" actors deceived US voters and compromised election data. He claimed China acquired 220 million US voter files, though critics noted this information is largely publicly available. Trump also revived conspiracy theories about a "shadow government" of rogue bureaucrats attempting to cover up foreign influence. Experts and declassified documents, however, did not substantiate his claims of a widespread conspiracy or cover-up, with one intelligence report assessing China ultimately decided against launching a significant influence campaign in 2020. Democrats criticized Trump for attempting to mislead the public and undermine confidence in the electoral system.

Ahead of the midterm elections, former President Trump alleged significant vulnerabilities in U.S. election security, claiming voting machines are exposed to foreign interference from countries including China, Russia, and Iran. He also asserted that China meddled in the 2020 election, contradicting U.S. intelligence findings. Trump cited a Michigan investigation into alleged voter registration fraud by a Democratic-affiliated group, which he claimed the FBI prevented from acting. Additionally, he stated the Department of Homeland Security identified 278,000 non-citizens registered to vote, without specifying if they cast ballots. Trump reiterated his call for the SAVE America Act, which proposes restrictions on mail voting and mandates proof of citizenship and photo ID for voting.