President Donald Trump removed the remaining Democratic members of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) on Thursday, a move that quickly sparked criticism from Democratic lawmakers while drawing praise from supporters who have called for stronger federal election oversight.
The White House confirmed that Commissioners Benjamin Hovland and Thomas Hicks were dismissed. Republican Commissioner Christy McCormick also stepped down, leaving the independent commission without its current bipartisan leadership.
According to a White House official, the president believes his administration must have officials who fully support its mission of strengthening election security and protecting the integrity of America’s voting system.
“The President, as head of the Executive Branch, reserves the right to remove individuals that may not be totally aligned with the important task of securing America’s elections and ensuring every legal vote is counted,” the official said.
The administration also pointed to a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling involving the Federal Trade Commission, arguing that the decision reaffirmed the president’s authority to remove officials serving on independent federal agencies.
Since returning to the White House, President Trump has repeatedly made election integrity one of his administration’s top priorities. Officials say they are working with federal agencies, state governments, and local election offices to strengthen election security, improve oversight, and reduce opportunities for fraud ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.
The Election Assistance Commission was created by Congress through the Help America Vote Act of 2002 following concerns raised during the 2000 presidential election. The agency provides guidance to election officials, certifies voting systems, distributes federal election grants, and develops best practices designed to improve the administration of elections nationwide.
The commission also oversees the National Mail Voter Registration Form required under the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, making it an important part of the nation’s election infrastructure.
At this point, it remains unclear whether President Trump will nominate new commissioners in the coming weeks. Any nominees would require Senate confirmation before taking office.
Democratic leaders immediately condemned the dismissals.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer accused the administration of attempting to expand executive power and pledged to challenge the decision. Senator Mark Warner of Virginia also criticized the move, saying Americans of every political party should pay close attention to changes involving federal election oversight.
Supporters of the administration argue that the changes are consistent with President Trump’s long-standing campaign promises to restore confidence in U.S. elections by strengthening voter safeguards and increasing accountability within federal agencies.
The personnel changes come as election policy remains one of the nation’s most closely watched political issues. Debates over voter identification requirements, mail-in voting, election security, and federal oversight are expected to remain central topics heading into the next round of congressional elections.
Last month, Postmaster General David Steiner said the U.S. Postal Service would discontinue mail ballot deliveries in states that do not provide certain voter data requested by federal officials, a decision that added new momentum to the ongoing national debate over election administration.
As the 2026 midterm elections draw closer, questions about who will lead the Election Assistance Commission are likely to receive increased attention as Republicans and Democrats continue debating how best to protect the nation’s voting systems.