Trump Administration Obtains 2020 Election Records from Arizona

FBI subpoenas records from Arizona Senate related to controversial 2020 election audit

Mar. 10, 2026 at 3:18am

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The Republican leader of the Arizona state Senate, Warren Petersen, has handed over records related to the 2020 presidential election to the FBI, the latest sign that the Trump administration is acting on the president's claims about a race he lost to Democrat Joe Biden. The FBI obtained the records through a federal grand jury subpoena, marking the second time this year the bureau has obtained election-related records from a presidential battleground state that Trump lost.

Why it matters

This development highlights the Trump administration's continued efforts to investigate and cast doubt on the results of the 2020 election, despite multiple audits, investigations and legal challenges that have found no evidence of widespread fraud that could have affected the outcome. The move raises concerns about the potential politicization of federal law enforcement and the weaponization of investigations to serve partisan interests.

The details

Senate President Warren Petersen said he complied 'late last week' with the federal grand jury subpoena for records related to a controversial audit of the 2020 election in Maricopa County that had been ordered by legislative Republicans. The audit, conducted by the firm Cyber Ninjas, explored unsubstantiated conspiracy theories but ultimately found that Biden received 360 more votes than stated in the certified results for the county.

  • Petersen complied with the subpoena late last week.
  • In January, the FBI seized ballots and other records from Georgia's Fulton County after obtaining a search warrant.

The players

Warren Petersen

The Republican leader of the Arizona state Senate who handed over records related to the 2020 election audit to the FBI.

Kris Mayes

The Democratic Arizona Attorney General who issued a scathing statement criticizing Petersen and the Trump administration's efforts to investigate the 2020 election.

Donald Trump

The former president whose false claims about a stolen election in 2020 have fueled the ongoing investigations.

Joe Biden

The Democratic candidate who won the 2020 presidential election.

Cyber Ninjas

The firm hired by Republican lawmakers in Arizona to conduct a controversial audit of the 2020 election, which ultimately found no evidence of widespread fraud.

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What they’re saying

“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

What’s next

The FBI has not yet commented on the records it obtained from Arizona, and it remains to be seen how the bureau will use the information as part of its ongoing investigations into the 2020 election.

The takeaway

This case highlights the continued partisan divide over the integrity of the 2020 election, with the Trump administration pursuing investigations that critics say are politically motivated and lack a legitimate law enforcement basis. The outcome of these probes could have significant implications for public trust in the electoral process.