Trump fires members of key election commission ahead of midterms - USA Today
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Trump fired the two Democrat-appointed Election Assistance Commission members by email — raising sharp questions about who controls the machinery of U.S. elections ahead of 2026.
Principal-Agent ProblemSeparation of PowersInstitutional CaptureGame Theory
Theory Briefing
- Chairman Thomas Hicks and Benjamin Hovland, both chosen by congressional Democrats, were removed via email with midterms less than two years away.
- The Election Assistance Commission oversees voting system standards and federal election funding, making its composition politically consequential.
- Firing commissioners before a major election cycle shifts institutional control in ways that critics argue undermine nonpartisan oversight.
- The move fits a pattern of executive branch expansion into bodies traditionally insulated from direct presidential removal.