Trump Seizes More Ballots in Effort to Influence 2026 Midterms

The former president continues his crusade against the 2020 election results, now targeting Arizona's 2020 audit records.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 8:52pm

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Former President Donald Trump has continued his efforts to undermine the integrity of U.S. elections, this time by seizing ballot records from Arizona's flawed 2020 election audit. The FBI has obtained a grand jury subpoena for all records related to the state Senate's controversial audit conducted by the firm Cyber Ninjas, which despite reaffirming Biden's win, released a misleading report claiming the vote was flawed. Experts warn this is part of a broader effort by Trump to centralize control over how states conduct elections, potentially using the Civil Rights Act to gain access to sensitive voter data across the country.

Why it matters

Trump's continued efforts to cast doubt on the 2020 election results, even years later, pose a serious threat to the integrity of U.S. elections. By obtaining sensitive voter data and audit records, the former president aims to build a case for increased federal control over state election processes, which could lead to voter suppression and disenfranchisement, especially of minority communities.

The details

The latest development stems from the Arizona Senate's 2020 election audit conducted by the firm Cyber Ninjas, which despite reaffirming Biden's victory in the state, released a misleading report claiming the vote was flawed. Now, the FBI has obtained a grand jury subpoena for all records related to the audit, which Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen has complied with. Experts warn this is part of a broader effort by Trump to centralize control over how states conduct elections, potentially using the Civil Rights Act to gain access to sensitive voter data across the country.

  • On Monday, Arizona Republican Senate President Warren Petersen announced that he had received a grand-jury subpoena for all records related to the Senate's 2020 audit of Maricopa County.
  • In January, the FBI seized more than 700 boxes of physical voter records in a raid in Georgia that Trump personally called for.

The players

Donald Trump

The former president who continues to push false claims about the 2020 election and is now seeking to influence the 2026 midterms.

Warren Petersen

The Arizona Republican Senate President who has complied with the FBI's grand jury subpoena for records related to the state's 2020 election audit.

Cyber Ninjas

A cybersecurity firm hired by the Arizona Legislature to conduct a controversial audit of the state's 2020 election results, despite having no prior experience with election security.

Kris Mayes

The Arizona Attorney General who has hinted at legal action against the Trump administration's efforts to obtain sensitive voter data.

Adrian Fontes

The Arizona Secretary of State who has also hinted at legal action against the Trump administration's efforts to obtain sensitive voter data.

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What they’re saying

“The FBI has the records.”

— Warren Petersen, Arizona Republican Senate President (X)

“What the Trump administration appears to be pursuing now is not a legitimate law enforcement inquiry. It is the weaponization of federal law enforcement in service of crackpots and lies.”

— Kris Mayes, Arizona Attorney General (Slate)

“Trump is planting seeds of doubt in our elections to justify future intervention in the midterms. He sees the writing on the wall (a blue wave), and he's scared.”

— Adelita Grijalva, Arizona State Representative (X)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow the Trump administration to continue its efforts to obtain sensitive voter data from Arizona and other states.

The takeaway

Trump's continued attempts to undermine the integrity of U.S. elections, even years after his 2020 defeat, pose a serious threat to the democratic process. His efforts to centralize control over how states conduct elections could lead to widespread voter suppression and disenfranchisement, particularly of minority communities.