A political expert offered a sobering warning about President Donald Trump's latest scheme to restrict voting access ahead of the 2026 midterm elections
The Trump administration's Postal Service has proposed rules to restrict the delivery of mail-in ballots from states that do not comply with an executive order the president signed last week, which revamps mail-in ballot regulations. Several state Attorneys General have sued the Trump administration in response, and the court case remains ongoing.
John Avlon, a former speechwriter for Rudy Giuliani, said on CNN that the new rules were clearly illegal, and are part of a broader "cynical" plan.
"This is not legal. It's not constitutional. This executive order is not legal. It's not constitutional. States run elections in the United States of America, and for the president and his administration to say it's legal ... just underscores how cynical and sinister this is," Avlon said.
The new rules were introduced at a time when the administration is trying multiple other ways to restrict voting ahead of the midterms. For instance, Trump has threatened to send immigration agents to polling places, which could cause low turnout among immigrant communities.
Trump has also appointed Bill Pulte to be the Acting Director of National Intelligence, a post that would give him access to sensitive intelligence data. Avlon described Pulte's job title as "Orwellian" given that he has no experience in intelligence work, as federal law requires of the person appointed to lead the agency.
Avlon noted that the American public needs to wake up to the broader scope of what the Trump administration is trying to accomplish.
"They are trying to interfere with free elections and violating the law and constitution to do it," he said. "And everyone needs to be wide awake."
