Trump Dismisses Last Two Election Assistance Commission Members

Washington DC. US President Donald Trump has dismissed the last two members working for the Federal Election Assistance Commission (EAC) before the midterm elections to be held in November, according to US media. Following the decision, Democratic leaders and election officials have strongly criticized it, raising questions about the impartiality and independence of election management.

According to USA Today, the two Republican-nominated commissioners of the bipartisan Election Assistance Commission had already resigned. Information was given via email that both the remaining Democrat-nominated commissioners were removed from their posts on Thursday.

According to CNN, an email sent by a White House official stated that the commissioner posts of the commission were terminated with immediate effect on behalf of President Trump.

Democratic leaders have strongly opposed this decision. Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes called it an 'irresponsible and dangerous' move, stating that it would create confusion and instability among election officials nationwide.

Virginia Senator Mark Warner also mentioned on social media platform X that removing all remaining commissioners of the commission a few months before the election is an extraordinary step and demanded that the administration provide an immediate clarification.

Michael Waldman, CEO of the Brennan Center for Justice, also commented that this move is a matter of serious concern in the context of President Trump's efforts to influence the election process. He recalled that Congress created the commission's four-member bipartisan structure with the aim of preventing control by any single party.

Established in 2002, the Election Assistance Commission has been responsible for certifying voting equipment, providing federal assistance for election management, and managing election programs worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

According to CNN, there were previously disagreements between the Trump administration and the commission regarding the implementation of his executive order making proof of citizenship mandatory during voter registration. A large part of that order was blocked by the courts.

According to USA Today, the commission requires the consent of at least three out of four commissioners to make any decision. It is estimated that the regular work of the commission may be affected as it may take time to appoint new members to the vacant posts.

The White House, on the other hand, stated that the President has the right to remove individuals who do not align with the task of securing US elections and ensuring that every legal vote is counted.