Jeffries Vows Democrats Will Stop Trump's Push to Nationalize Elections

House Democrat leader says GOP plan to take over voting in key cities is unacceptable

Feb. 8, 2026 at 9:47am

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Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) has vowed that Democrats will shut down President Trump's push to 'nationalize' elections, calling it an attempt to 'steal' the upcoming midterms. Jeffries said his party will ensure the elections remain 'free and fair' and that states should be allowed to run their own voting processes.

Why it matters

Trump's proposal to have the federal government take over election administration in certain Democratic-led cities has raised concerns about undermining state sovereignty and the integrity of the electoral process. Jeffries' strong rebuke signals the Democrats' intent to fiercely oppose any such federal intervention.

The details

Earlier this week, Trump called for transferring control of elections from states to the federal government, saying 'the Republicans should say, 'We want to take over. We should take over the voting in at least 15 places.'' The president specifically referenced Detroit, Philadelphia and Atlanta - all Democratic-run cities - as places where 'horrible corruption' in elections is happening and where 'the federal government should get involved.'

  • On February 6, 2026, Trump called for the federal government to take over election administration in certain cities.
  • On February 7, 2026, Trump doubled down on his proposal to have federal agents 'take over' vote counting in some locations.

The players

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries

A Democratic Congressman from New York and the chair of the House Democratic Caucus.

President Donald Trump

The former president who is pushing for the federal government to take control of elections in certain cities.

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What they’re saying

“What Donald Trump wants to do is try to nationalize the election, translation steal it. And we're not going to let it happen.”

— Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic Congressman (CNN)

What’s next

Democrats are expected to mount a strong legal and political challenge to any attempts by the federal government to take over state election processes.

The takeaway

This clash over election administration highlights the ongoing partisan battle over voting rights and the balance of power between federal and state governments. The outcome could have significant implications for the integrity and fairness of future elections.